High Hopes in Velvet Ropes
by emberfire411
Summary: When Bloom is mysteriously kidnapped by a rogue Earth gang, her children are left to cope with the reality that magic exists. Which makes them all the more curious about the father they never met. Too bad they don't know he's a dark, powerful wizard.
1. Prologue

**I know what everyone's thinking; 'Oh my God; what are you doing? You have two other stories to be updating Liz, why are you posting a new one? Are you crazy!'**

**First of all; yes, I am crazy. Second of all; I just can't help myself! I have had this idea on my mind for a few months, and now that summer is finally here, y'all know I had to kick it off with a new story! Plus, I'm going on a little vacation on Monday to the Winx Club home land (a.k.a Italy), so something needed to go up since I'll be on hiatus until I get back (another note; I swear the actual first chapter will be up before I go). So let's get started.**

* * *

><p><em>Prologue<em>

* * *

><p>"Anything yet?"<p>

Andy Picolli gave a small laugh as Roxy Morgan stalked into his living room from the kitchen. She ran a hand through her bright pink hair, obviously jittery. Though he didn't need to see that to know she was on edge – since one o'clock that afternoon, she hadn't gone more than a few seconds without moving. He reached over and silenced his iPod. "Nothing since you asked five minutes ago. Or the five minutes before that. Or the five before that. Or the –"

"Okay, okay," she cut him off, giving him a cold look. "So I'm jumpy."

"A little?" Andy questioned, raising an eyebrow. As Roxy stalked past him, he caught her hand, pulling her down onto his lap. "Rox," he continued, reaching down and running a finger along the subtle topaz ring she wore, "you haven't been this jumpy since you told your Dad we were engaged."

She sighed, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "I know. But," she continued, jumping off his lap and stalking across the room again. "This is different."

Her fiancé rolled his eyes. "Bloom will be fine."

"She's giving _birth_. I'd like to see you try that."

"I can't wait to see _you_ try it."

Roxy jerked to a stop, her cheeks going bright red. Andy smirked at her reaction, obviously satisfied. "Come on," he said, "Sky's with her, and more than likely the girls are too. You think her husband's going to let anything happen to her?"

"I know," she said. Her cheek color had faded to a light pink, matching her hair. "But I can still worry."

"Once she's back on her feet, you can keep getting training for your powers."

"It's not just that; I've lasted nineteen years without them, I can go for another three months. I'm worried…I don't know. Andy, I just have a terrible feeling."

"Probably because she was unlucky enough to get pregnant at eighteen." Andy muttered.

He flinched as Roxy hit his shoulder. "Come on, it's sweet."

"Or illegal."

"Andy!"

He raised his hands in an innocent gesture. "Okay; bad me. No more jokes."

"Thank you."

Andy almost sighed, but realized it would only make things worse. After knowing Roxy for so long, the last thing he wanted to do was get her mad _and_ nervous. Instead, he grabbed his earphones and started listening to his music again. After a few seconds, he looked around the floor, realizing something was missing. "Where's Artu?" he asked Roxy, who was still pacing.

She stopped as she turned on her heel, scanning the floor. Sure enough, the big dog was nowhere in sight, which was odd considering he usually never left Andy's living room when he and Roxy visited. He looked over toward the stairs where he sometimes lounged, but he wasn't there either. Roxy looked equally perplexed. "He's been in here all afternoon, hasn't he?"

Andy yanked the buds out. "I thought –"

Before he could finish, the two heard a long, low growl from the kitchen. After a moment it turned to a loud and persistent barking, obviously from Artu. Roxy and Andy glanced at each other in confusion, and in the next second there was a blinding light from the kitchen. Artu's barking got louder, and along with it Andy heard a high scream.

He made a move to get up, but Roxy had already bolted past him, the kitchen door swinging shut behind her. A moment later, Artu was pushed through the door, looking annoyed. When he laid eyes on Andy, he barked loudly and turned to face the door, muffling the voices he could obviously hear.

"Artu!" Andy snapped, rising to his feet. However, Artu wouldn't stop barking. After several failed attempts, he finally grabbed the mutt by the collar and dragged him across the living room to the front door. He quickly opened it and put Artu out on the small patio of his townhouse. He stopped barking and gave him an indignant look. Andy only gave him an apologetic shrug and shut the door behind him.

The place was oddly quiet when he was back inside. He froze for a minute and listened for any voices. The only thing he could pick up (besides Artu scratching at the door) was a light cry from the kitchen. Raising an eyebrow, he started towards the room.

And before he could get there, the door burst open and Bloom stalked in, tears rolling down her face.

The last update Andy had heard about Bloom was that she was just about to go in and – as Stella put it – get her figure back. Looking at her now, Andy didn't doubt that she'd obviously gotten thinner, meaning she'd had her son. But what caught him off guard was the way she looked besides that. She was pale, and looked like she was having trouble standing. From the kitchen, he realized what he'd been hearing wasn't Bloom, but obviously…

"What happened?" Andy asked, watching her face pale. "Bloom you look horrible. Why aren't you at the hospital?"

She stared at him for a second, and Andy briefly wondered if he'd said the wrong thing to her. Then, before he could blink, she rushed forward and threw her arms around his neck, obviously shaking from something besides the crying.

For a second, Andy debated whether to push her back. But thinking about Roxy's mood swings (never pretty), he decided it was a bad plan. Instead, he hugged his friend back, helping to steady her. "Aren't they supposed to keep you in the hospital after giving birth?"

He felt her nod. "That's kind of why I came here."

"Why not stay in Magix?"

She took a shaky breath. "Andy, I…I made a mistake. Not a bad one, but…I made one."

Andy stiffened. "Did something happen with your son? Is Sky okay?" He pushed her shoulders back so he could look at her. "You still need medical attention." In the back of his head something reminded him that his cool was flying away faster than his English grade sophomore year, but he couldn't help it. He loved Bloom – like a sibling, not anything else, which he was happy he came to acknowledge. But somewhere in his head (along with the voice telling him he was flipping) he saw the same thing happening to Roxy someday, and it chilled him to the bone.

Bloom obviously saw his composure wavering. She gripped onto him tighter. "Sky's not…" he heard her make a noise between a laugh and a sob. "Shit Andy, I screwed up."

"Sky's not what?" he persisted.

"He's not…he's not the father."

Had there not been adrenaline running though his veins, Andy was fairly certain he would've dropped back onto the couch. "What the hell are you talking about? How can Sky no be the father – and by the way, I still don't have a name for your kid."

This time, she clearly laughed. "Yeah…about using that word singularly…"


	2. Can You Keep A Secret?

**Greeting people! Now, for those of you who've been on my profile lately, you'll see that I am currently abroad, which is why it took so long to get this up (since I promised it at the beginning of the week - bad me!). So, sit back, and enjoy! But, before I forget - because I did last chapter;**

**Disclaimer (*sigh*, aren't these fun?): I own no rights to the Winx Club's original characters. Everything goes to Rainbow and to Nickelodeon, who have distribution rights here in the US. I do however, own the second generation Winx characters that pop up later in the story, along with Jason. Ali pretty much belongs to miss Authoress-In-Training (she'll get why soon).**

* * *

><p>"Tori! You have exactly five seconds to give me my guitar back before I throw you in the ocean!"<p>

"Forget the guitar Valen, where did you put my blue hair extensions!"

From the dining room upstairs, Bloom couldn't help but smile a little. Setting down her paintbrush on the paint-covered dining table, she walked over to the landing, hearing her children arguing downstairs.

"What would I want your stupid streaks for?" she heard her son Valentine question, sounding annoyed. She could picture his thin eyebrows twitching ever so slightly, like they always did when he was arguing with his twin sister.

"Well why would _I_ want your guitar?"

The former princess rolled her eyes, still smiling. "Victoria," she finally called down, "give Valen his guitar back."

From below, she heard Valen laugh, and a moment later, Tori appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "Mom!" she yelled, looking annoyed, "I don't have it."

Bloom looked down at her daughter, feeling a twinge of immense love and a great deal of pain she'd never thought possible. True enough, it'd been nothing short of a miracle when her doctor had told her she was carrying twins instead of her one son. She'd almost ripped the man's head off, considering he'd mentioned this while she was in between contractions instead of a more appropriate time – such as any time _during_ her pregnancy.

That being said, it didn't mean she had anything against her daughter. Like her twin brother, she'd come out with a full head of hair. But unlike him, she'd cried for only a few minutes until she managed to get her eyes open and look at the new world around her. The moment Sky looked her in the eyes, he'd turned and left the room.

Now, almost fifteen years later, her features were more prominent and more beautiful. Her hair was a rich red blond color, usually frazzled from the humidity. Her eyes were a bright gold, with a single fleck of blue in her left eye that Bloom could see from upstairs. And much like when Bloom was her age, she had a good pair of legs and was just starting to get a chest. Other than that though, her daughter had no resemblance to Bloom, but rather to another man from a forgotten past.

"Mom?" Tori asked again, looking a bit concerned.

Bloom shook her head, driving her thoughts away. "Didn't you hide the guitar last night because of some science project?"

Tori looked at her for a second before her eyes widened in realization. "Oh yeah." With that, she turned and disappeared from view.

Bloom started down at the empty space for a moment more, then turned and went back to her painting. As she neared the table, she saw a few absent sketches on the piece of paper next to her canvas. When she saw the partial sketch of a particular man, she grabbed one of her small paintbrushes and swiped it across the page, disfiguring the drawing with a light blue color. She sat down with a sigh.

Baltor was their father. It was something Bloom had come to acknowledge; since the first time she'd ever seen Victoria. Valen was less obvious; his hair had been a blend of Baltor and herself, coming out a light red color, and his eyes were blue like her. But his attitude more than made up for the lack of looks; he was stubborn, defiant, and protective, much like Baltor had been with her.

She picked up the page with the disfigured sketch. It was fuzzy remembering where that whole thing started. She had tried to convince herself it just happened, but it sounded too fairy-tale. There had been a connection, since the first time she'd laid eyes on him. She had done everything in her power to hide it from the girls and the Specialists; there were times where she'd look in a mirror and practice saying his name so that none of her real feelings showed. It obviously didn't work, because eventually Baltor discovered her feelings for him. But instead of using those feelings against her (well, he had once or twice), he led her into the most interesting – and dare she say, pleasurable – relationships of her life.

Not to say it was all smooth sailing. There was the fear of being caught, her friends feelings, _Sky_, that kept the relationship from progressing. And finally, as the final battle between Baltor and the Winx Club came to be, she realized it couldn't go further, despite what she wanted. She spared his life in their final face off in the heart of his essence, but insisted there couldn't be any kind of a relationship with him.

He hadn't taken it well. And before Bloom had even gotten a chance to speak, she had been up against a wall (at least, she _thought_ it was a wall), Baltor's lips forcefully on her own. She remembered feeling his gloves dissipate, remembered his skin on her own, remembered him somehow peeling off her Enchantix dress…

He'd taken her, then and there, and that was what Bloom had had trouble understanding. It technically hadn't been a real physical experience, but the timing of it matched up perfectly with Tori and Valen being born. But by the time she realized it, Baltor had disappeared, Bloom the only one knowing he was alive but not knowing where.

So she had done what anyone in her situation would do. She ran.

Back to Earth, where it was harder to track people down. With Andy and Roxy's help, she'd changed her last name and moved to southern California, only about an hour from Anaheim on the Balboa peninsula. She figured the best place to hide was closest to home. She'd gone to college, her friends helping with Tori and Valen as she got a degree in art and design. She'd established herself as a local artist, which usually led to her dining table being covered in her supplies, as it was now.

Bloom glanced back to the paint covered paper, the top left of her sketch still visible. She'd never found Baltor again, told him what they managed to do. It seemed like their connection was severed.

She sighed and went back to her painting.

* * *

><p>"I knew you had it," Valen said matter-of-factly as Tori entered his room, the old Gibson in her hand. Bloom had given them free run of the space, and as a result his room was painted a dark green color, the walls mostly covered by band posters and pictures of family and friends. His desk was covered with paint splatters, and his floor was unusually clean.<p>

"Oh shut up," his twin sister muttered, leaning the guitar on his paint-covered desk and flopping onto his bed. The duvet smelled like Axe and seawater. "She's doing it again."

Valen glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He'd recently dyed his hair, so it was still a little startling when his brown-red bangs fell into his eyes. "She can't help it, Tori."

"Every year, it's the exact same thing. Every May, just before our birthday, she gets so quiet. She'll stare off into space in the middle of the most random conversations, and…she can't look me in the eyes."

"Tori –"

"I can't help it! If she misses our father so much, why doesn't she go find him?"

Valen closed the drawer to his desk sharply, a few guitar picks in his hand. "It's a big world. He might not even be alive. Or maybe not in States. And –"

"I know, I know," she waved off, straightening her back and talking in Valen's voice; "'if he's not here, he probably didn't want us'."

He shuddered. "Quit imitating my voice like that. You know it creeps it me out." Tori shrugged, though she looked pleased. "Remind me again where you learned to do that?" he asked.

"Not from Mom."

"Enough," Valen said, grabbing the back of Tori's blue tank and pulling her into a sitting position on the bed. "Are you ready? Ali's going to be here any minute, and she'll flip out if we're late for the gig."

"Ever the perfectionist."

"Hey, she's your best friend, and she rocks on drums."

"And you're madly in love with her," Tori added, jumping to her feet, the soles of her sandals slamming on the floor. "Do you find it odd we haven't settled on a band name yet?"

"Well since your best idea was 'Sexy Vampire Mojo'…"

She hit him in the shoulder. A second later, Tori's phone went off in her pocket. She took it out and scanned the screen. "Ali's outside." She announced before darting to her room to grab her backpack.

Valen rolled his eyes, walking out of his room and down the hall to the front door. "Mom!" he called upstairs, "Ali's here to take us to the gig! We'll be back by nine!"

"No later!" he heard his mother call back. Tori was right; she had that little twinge in her voice again, like when she was deep in thought about something sad. "And no drinking!"

"It's the Fruity Music Bar! What the hell could we find?"

He got the reward of hearing her laugh. "Be careful! Love you both."

Tori emerged from the hall then, her backpack slung over her shoulder. "Bye Mom!" she yelled, throwing the front door open and walking outside. There was a white truck idling on the street in front of the house – halfway on the curb, but of course that wasn't important.

"Love you too!" Valen called, walking out after Tori, shutting the door behind them.

* * *

><p>Despite never actually settling on a band name, Valen always considered their line-up and actual talent to be on a pretty high level. They were in the middle of transitioning from a cover band to writing their own lyrics, and in the eyes of the almost-fifteen year old boy, it was the best thing they could've asked for.<p>

And now, standing up on stage, he only felt his feelings confirmed. They were a legend of a local band, and, thanks to Andy, The Fruity Music bar was pretty much their official stage. A group of about a hundred and fifty kids crowded around the stage now, jumping up and down with the beat Alison Bally was executing on her drums. As he finished the last notes of his guitar solo, he grabbed the microphone, his adrenaline high. "_Does it taste like me?_"

"_Is the grass as green as you used to think?_" The crowd echoed back.

He couldn't help but grin. In an odd way, he felt like he had power over the crowd, and something in the back of his head told him that was a good thing. "_I'm on...so on to you. You only take what you want and leave; you always take what you want from me…"_

He stepped back, letting Jason Albright take the last chorus as they'd rehearsed. Something in the back of his head urged him to keep singing, but he pushed it back. He glanced over at Tori, who as usual had most of the boy's attention. She caught his gaze and dropped a glittering green eyelid in a wink.

As soon as the last note ended, the crowd erupted into applause. Jason took the microphone. "Thank you guys so much! We're going to be hanging out here for a while and I hope you are too! Maybe I'll give a lucky fan my hoodie!"

The crowd erupted in applause. Valen laughed and spoke into his own microphone. "That's my hoodie, dumbass. You borrowed it last week."

He grinned. "Maybe I'll give you Valen's hoodie! And remember; band names! Think good things here people! Goodnight!" With that, the four of them headed backstage, a good amount of cheers erupting.

"_That_," Tori said once they were behind the stage, "was epic."

"Ditto that," Ali said, leaning halfway out to the stage. She closed one eye and expertly launched one of her drumsticks into the crowd. "I'm still a little concerned that the covers sound better than the originals. We should work on them more at the next practice."

"Hmm," Valen agreed, putting his guitar in its designated spot. He looked over at Jason, who was grinning devilishly. "And what's your problem, Cheshire Cat? You look like you just won Megabucks."

The grin widened. "Yeah, about that…"

"What?" he asked.

"Okay…so I told you about my uncle, right?"

Ali gave him a questioning look. "Yeah…he works for Disney, right?"

"Yeah. More specifically, the parks up in Anaheim. You know that huge late-night dance party they have in California Adventure now?"

Tori thought for a moment. "Something to do with Tron, right?"

"Electronica."

"Right. So?"

"Well, I talked to him, and…he's willing to let us play next Friday, during the first weekend of summer. And your birthday."

Had Tori been holding her guitar, she was fairly certain she would've dropped it. "Shut up."

"Not even. We're playing in California Adventure!"

"Jason!" Ali screeched, throwing her arms around his neck. "You brilliant little bastard you!"

"You're going to Disneyland?" a voice spoke up excitedly from behind the four celebrating teens.

Valen grinned. Glancing behind him, he saw Roxy and Andy's son Christopher in the doorway that led to the terrace of the Fruity Music Bar. He reached down and picked up the seven-year-old boy so he rested on his shoulders. "I guess we are, bud."

"Can I come?" he questioned, looking at them with pleading eyes.

"Sorry man," Tori said, walking over and ruffling his hair. "We won't be there until after school, and more than likely we're staying until after midnight. I don't think Roxy and Andy would be very happy if we kept you out that long."

He pouted, his black hair falling in front of his eyes. "But I _want_ to! I'm finally tall enough for the Maliboomer and California Screamin!"

"They close the pier during World of Color," Jason pointed out. "And they took the Maliboomer out."

Ali, who had been tossing the other drumstick out to the lingering crowd, jerked. The drumstick flew off to the right, landing on a customer's table. "What!" she screeched. "Since when?"

Tori gave a toothy grin and patted her shoulder. "It's going to be okay." Ali glared at the other girl, and the boys burst out laughing.

"Aside from crushing Miss Bally's dreams," Valen said, lifting Chris off his shoulders (it was getting harder as he grew older) and putting him back on the ground. "It's going to be a long night. But hey, I promise we'll take you before summer's over. We got a deal, bud?"

Chris nodded. "'Kay. Mom and Dad were looking for you."

"Pay day!" Jason grinned. "Who's going to be crowd distraction?"

"You and Ali go," Tori said after a moment. "Valen and I wanted to talk to them, anyway."

"Fair enough." Ali agreed. "Plus, I should probably go apologize to that table."

"And find therapy." The brunette glared at him as Jason grabbed her by the shoulder, leading them out to the crowd. "Come on, Ali Cat."

Tori thought for a moment. "What about 'Cat-like Obscenity'?"

"No!" Ali, Jason, and her brother replied at the same moment.

She huffed. "It was only an idea."

"A bad idea," Valen said, "don't you agree Chris?"

"Don't bring my surrogate child into this," Tori said, pulling the younger boy against her. He came up to her waist.

"Don't say that to Mom," her twin muttered as they walked offstage. The crowd was mostly around Jason and Ali (his jacket was still on, thank goodness), but a few people stopped them to congratulate them on their performance. They politely smiled and took a few pictures, and within a few minutes they were over at the counter where Roxy was washing out a few glasses. She grinned as they approached. "I owe you guys again. If it weren't for you, this place would never be so packed."

"Anything for our godparents," Valen grinned, leaning over and kissing her on the cheek. "How are you?"

"Good. Tired with this little hooligan running out," Chris smiled, which looked a little funny since his left front tooth had just fallen out. "How about you two?"

Tori sighed, hopping onto the counter. "It's May."

Roxy raised an eyebrow at them before her face set in realization. "Your mother?"

"You guessed it."

She sighed, reaching under the counter for a few sodas. She handed one to the twins and her son. "I'm sorry guys. You know you're always welcome at our place."

"And Ali's and Jason's." Valen said, cracking the bottle open. "Just like every year. Thanks Roxy."

"Did you know our father?" Tori spoke up suddenly, her eyes a little wide. Valen hit her shoulder, but she didn't acknowledge it.

Roxy didn't pause as she reached for another glass to clean off, but Valen noticed her smile fade a little. "I didn't know him personally," she said, her voice as calm as it'd ever been. "I only heard about him from your mother. They met when she was in boarding school."

"Did he know about us?"

"Why all the sudden questions about your Dad?" Roxy asked. She didn't make eye contact, which Valen knew meant she was uncomfortable.

Tori seemed oblivious as she pressed on. "I'm almost fifteen. Don't I have the right to be curious?"

"Of course. But why not ask your mother?"

"Because she never talks." She smirked. "You know that."

Roxy sighed. "As far as I knew, no. Your father doesn't know about you. Nor do I know where he is now."

The look on her face faded ever so slowly. "Oh."

Roxy gave a sad smile. "I don't have all the details, kiddo. I never knew your Dad. I only have an idea of what he might have been like through you." She nodded, and Roxy reached out and gave her a stack of envelopes. "The top four are for you guys for playing this month. And a little extra so you can get some stuff at Disney if you want. Jason told me," she said when she saw their confused look. "The rest is some fan mail, though there's one in there just for you two, which I thought was kind of weird."

Tori and Valen glanced at their godmother, and then started shifting though the envelopes until they came to the one with their names printed on the front. There wasn't anything else, not even a stamp. With a raised eyebrow, Valen took the envelope and tore it open from the side. A small piece of paper fell out onto the counter. Tori immediately snatched it and unfolded it. "It's an address." She said after a moment. "6200 Franklin Avenue. There isn't even a city name or a zip code."

Valen drummed his fingers against the counter. "Roxy, do you know any address like that?"

"Never heard of it," she said. Her expression was far less suspicious – she must've still been thinking about Tori's questions regarding their father. "It must be a prank or something."

"Why?"

"No idea. Maybe you're just over thinking this." She saw a man signal from down the bar. "I need to go guys. Good work tonight." With that, she headed down to him.

* * *

><p>The phone vibrating in the locked drawer of the counter distracted Bloom from getting the swell of the wave to look just right in her picture. Thankfully she pulled her brush away before any damage could be done. She glared in the direction of the noise, her eyes narrowed. She would never get this picture done by the delivery date to the new gallery.<p>

The phone kept going, and finally she put the brush down and walked to the kitchen, grabbing the key to drawer from a decorative display on the far side of the counter. Her children had never asked why there was one particular drawer in the house that was locked – they assumed it was full of alcohol so they couldn't get into it. Nor had they found out the key was hidden in plain sight.

She popped the rusted hunk of metal into the lock and twisted, the drawer springing open a second later. Inside was her graduation certificate from Alfea, pictures of her and Winx girls at school dances, and the divorce papers from Sky. On top of it all sat her old cell phone that Tecna got her as part of their graduation gift exchange. It had been the latest technology (though it was probably ancient in Magix by now); a battery that could never die, loaded with apps, and programmed with all her contacts.

And just like it did every year in May, it was ringing.

It was usually one of the Winx girls or the Specialists. Sky had been calling more in the recent years, but Bloom had hung up before she could hear what he had to say. She wished the caller ID still worked; it had been disabled when her friend Ryo had messed the phone, removing the small chip that could trace the calls.

Every year it was the same game, trying to convince her to come back to the magical dimension (she'd slipped a few years back and told them she was on Earth). It was the same argument; it's been so long, we haven't seen the kids, what about Sparx… She'd learned to fight it, though it was never easy. The calls lasted for a few weeks, and then abruptly stopped. There were a few here and there for emergencies; Brandon had called to tell her Stella's father died, Flora had told her about Rose going missing, and her birth father telling her that she could either come back and rule her home planet, or abdicate the throne. But other than that the piece of technology remained locked in the drawer.

With a small sigh, she accepted the call. "Hello?"

There was a moment's pause. "Bloom! How are you?"

She sighed, but allowed herself to smile a little. "Hey Musa. You usually aren't signed up for first call of the year."

Her friend laughed. "Stella has the flu. It was me or Riven."

"Well thank you for doing it," she laughed a little, too. It was nice at first to hear the voices of her old friends.

"So what's up? Am I interrupting something?"

"Jut painting," she said, glancing at the half finished canvas on the dining room table. "What about you? How's music?"

"Not bad, not bad."

"Your son okay?"

"Drives me insane at times, but yes. How about Tori and Valen?"

Musa and Riven were the only people who knew their names. Bloom didn't know why, but Musa seemed to have a kind of respect for her leaving, and knew it'd been important. It was one of the reasons she was happy to hear from her. "Good. They're at a concert now."

"Good show?"

"Playing actually. They're in a band."

"…I love your children."

Bloom laughed, leaning against the sliding glass door that led to her patio. "You really should visit."

"You know what Stella would say."

She sighed. "Yeah. So how are all you guys?"

The line went quiet. "Fine."

Bloom's eyebrow shot up. Musa never sugar-coated things or made them seem worse than they actually were. "Is everything ok?" No response. "Musa?"

She heard her friend sigh. "There might be…something."

"Something like what?"

The line crackled. "A few days ago, there was an attack on the schools. Alfea, Red Fountain, and Cloud Tower all sustained massive damage."

She fisted her hand in her paint smock. "The Trix?"

"No; they're still in Light Rock. Apparently they're basically mind wiped, but they're not to blame."

"Then…who was?"

"We don't know. People are calling it a new threat. They thing Magix might be next, and then…"

She was nodding, even though Musa couldn't see her. "And then the planets."

"Sparx has heightened security. The new king and queen are worried. They wanted to contact you, but of course they didn't know how."

Bloom sighed, leaning her head back against the cool glass. "Has anywhere else been harmed?"

"Not as far as we know. But there's rumor the Magix Council is going to ask the Winx Club and the Specialists to investigate. You don't have to say yes." She added when Bloom didn't respond.

"What am I going to tell them?" the redhead questioned, hearing the line crackle again.

It took a second for Musa's voice to come through. "The council or your kids?"

"Both I guess. I can't say no to the council, but what the hell can I say to my kids? 'I have to go to a dimension you don't know and possibly save the day? And that's because I'm a fairy, and you both could possibly have magical powers.'"

The line got scratchy again. Bloom raised her eyebrows. "Musa? Are you still there?" The noises got worse. "Musa!"

"I…kid…Brothers…"

"What? Musa!"

As abruptly as it began, the static disappeared, leaving the line quiet. "Musa?" Bloom questioned. She was gripping the fabric so tightly the tips of her fingers were turning white. Something didn't feel right.

The sound of someone breathing was audible on the line. A moment later, a voice came over the line, sounding very childlike, very afraid, and very, _very_ familiar. "Help me."

Bloom's eyes widened. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Please help me, miss." The child's voice spoke again.

"Who is this? Where's Musa?"

"I'm scared."

"Who _are _you?"

There was a pause. And then; "They're coming for you."

Bloom's blood froze. "What?"

"They'll find you. You can't hide; they still find you."

And she thought her grip on her smock couldn't get tighter. "Are you the people? The people who attacked the schools?"

"The Brotherhood of Redemption will find you." The child's voice spoke again, as though they were discussing the weather. "They'll find you and whoever else possess the power."

"What power? What's the Brotherhood of Redemption?"

There was another pause "I'm scared. Please help me."

The line went dead.

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts? The next chapter will be posted after I'm back home; maybe next weekend, depending on the kind of feedback I get. Side note to that; I am <em>not<em> holding the story hostage. I'm just saying, if there's a lot of feedback, I'll be more...what's the word? Motivated? Yeah, that's good; I'll be more motivated to not worry about my jet lag and post this. Cheerio, mates!**

**ember**


	3. I'll Run

**Happy late 4th of July, for all of my US readers! Hope none of you accidentally lit part of your aunt's backyard on fire like my cousins and I did (it was a faulty firework, I swear!). As I've said before, I was on vacation, and just before I posted this I was informed of a few typo/glitches via my kind-of-beta reader for this story. So, long story short, I was delayed (and re-planting grass), but now I'm not! So go on ahead and read, and I'll see y'all at the end of the chapter.**

* * *

><p>The scenes of horror movies never unfolded on dark and stormy nights in the real world. They happened during great things in the safest places you could imagine. They consumed you, and tore your beliefs down to raw ideas you were too skeptic to believe. And they weren't nice, either. Not like what you saw in the Disney movies when you were kids. They were real and deadly.<p>

Bloom paced the length of her bedroom, her hands running through the curls she'd done specifically for the gallery opening. Her bangs were already limp in her hands, and she could only image how terrible she looked, especially since she hadn't changed into her cocktail dress for the gallery opening.

That damn child. Every call she'd gotten in the last two weeks; wither it be from Stella or Helia or even Sky, it happened. After a few minutes the line would cut out and leave her with that voice, telling her about the Brotherhood of Redemption and asking for help. She'd looked up the phrase on countless search engines, but they all reached dead ends.

She'd managed to tell Musa part of her problem when she'd called earlier that day, but when the line started to fill with static she'd cut the connection; terrified of the voice. Something was wrong, she could feel it.

"Yo Valen, take the leather jacket off! It's not winter!"

Bloom bit her lip. It didn't make her feel better that she was letting her children go unaccompanied to a theme park, crowded with people. Jason's mother had assured her everything would be fine, but it didn't ease her nerves. Especially since she would be at the gallery opening until well after midnight.

"Mom?" a moment later, Valen stuck his head through the door of her bedroom. His hair was spiked out of his eyes, and he wore sky blue jeans, a long sleeved black shirt (despite the warm weather), and a white skinny tie with a chain on it. "Did I leave my shoes in here when I was looking through the closet?"

She shook her head, forcing herself out of thought. "Yeah; over there." She watched him go and retrieve the sneakers. "Honey," she said after a moment, "You and Tori are going to be careful, right?"

"Course we are. Why?" He glanced up at her and saw she was a little pale. "Mom? Are you okay?"

"Quite nervous, to tell you the truth." She smiled, sitting down on the edge of her bed. "And I don't have any idea why."

"The picture looks great, Mom. Don't be nervous."

"It's not the picture, Valen."

He thought for a moment. "Then let me guess; you feel terrible for not getting us bigger present on our birthday?"

She laughed. "Why of course, how did you ever guess?"

Her son smiled at her and sat down next to her. "You're really okay with this?"

"Of course I am," she insisted, thinking quite the opposite. "Just…stay where you're supposed to, don't wander off, don't ride the rides; you're there to work…" she trailed off, noticing the look he was giving her. She smiled and pulled him against her chest. "I guess I'm overreacting. You're fifteen after all."

He hugged her back. "Go and have a good time, Mom. Meet some hot hunk you can bring home."

Her stomach tightened, and she gripped him tighter. "Valen…wherever your father is, I know he'd be very proud of you. Just like I am."

He nodded. "Is he…"

Bloom took a deep breath and pushed herself back so she could look at him. "Is he what, honey?"

There was a longing look on his face, but it quickly fell away. "Nothing. It's not important." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Love you Mom."

"I love you, too. Get Tori and ask her to help me carry that picture to the car, okay?"

"Will do." With that, he stood up and walked out of the room, leaving the door open a crack.

The minute he was gone Bloom let out a long sigh and flopped back onto her bed. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to sense the area around her and any kind of abnormalities. There was nothing; not even a faint light. Bloom fisted her hands in her hair again; she'd need a major hair spell before she could step in the gallery. "Baltor," she whispered, not sure who she was talking to; "if you were here to see what we created…"

There was a noise in the direction of her bedroom door, and Bloom snapped into a sitting position. There was no one there, thankfully. With a sigh she hauled herself to her feet, heading towards her closet to grab a comfortable pair of shoes.

Valen stood on the other side of the doorway, listening to see if her mother said anything else. When there was no sound, he turned and raced downstairs.

* * *

><p>"Baltor? Oh, I like it."<p>

"We don't know that was his name, Tori." Valen reminded her, checking his microphone one last time. He, his sister, Jason, and Ali were five minutes away from going out onstage, and it didn't help that his last mic check was being interrupted. "Baltor could be his last name."

"Hmm…Victoria Baltor? No way. It's got to be his first name. This is _huge_." She was positively bubbly over the whole situation.

He sighed. "Will you forget our father? Just be grateful Mom talks about him now and then."

"Oh please, you call that talking? We're lucky if we get one comment a year. And isn't it a little suspicious that we get that weird address around the same time?"

"Are you still on that? For God's sake Victoria –"

"Don't 'Victoria' me," she snapped, though it was more mocking. "I say tomorrow we corner her once and for all on Dad."

Valen rolled his eyes. "I don't think she'd appreciate it too much."

"What's the worst that could happen? She says no?"

"Or it turns out your Dad's a serial killer in jail." Jason spoke up from behind them. His white shirt glowed in the fluorescent light.

"Oh shut up, Jason," Ali admonished. She was the only one in the group who'd opted for a skirt instead of jeans. Granted the short, hot pink bubble skirt _was_ eye-catching and futuristic, especially with her black lace top. "Those things rarely happen." She added before turning to Tori. "How do I look?"

"Fantastic. Me?" His sister was dressed the part; neon purple streaks were in her hair, her shirt was a strapless black number, her silver jeans were tucked into her purple knee-high boots, and silver fingerless gloves went up to her elbows.

"Brilliant."

"Can we focus ladies?" Jason asked. "We're on in two minutes."

"Drama queen," Ali muttered before heading off to get her drumsticks.

Once she and Jason were gone, Tori turned to her brother. "Are you ok? You certainly aren't very excited."

He sighed. "It's Mom. She seemed really nervous today."

"It's just the gallery opening. Here," she took out her phone and punched in a few numbers. "Let's call her real fast."

"No…she's probably there by now, and we don't want to disturb her."

She huffed, but still snapped the phone shut. It had only rung twice anyway. "Fine. But I'm telling you; this is the best night of our lives." She smirked and mimicked their mother's voice. "You're overreacting, Valentine. You need to have more fun like Tori."

He grimaced and waved her away. "I don't know why you do that."

"It's fun." She replied simply, slinging her guitar over her shoulder. "Now come on; we have a show to do."

Valen sighed, but grabbed his own instrument. "We're calling her during the set break."

Tori nodded, and when she spoke, she sounded like him. "Let's kill tonight."

* * *

><p>The outside of the gallery was pleasant looking. It was a single-story brick building in a good area of town. By the time Bloom got there, there were already a number of cars parked outside, and she could hear music playing inside. "I," she said to herself, smoothing the skirt of her blue cocktail dress under her coat, "am worrying about nothing."<p>

Now if only she believed.

She opened the door of her car and stepped out, breathing in the humid air. The place smelled like salt and asphalt and palm trees and…

Bloom paused, taking a deep breath, letting her senses work out what each individual small was.

…_Magic?_

But that was impossible. It had to be her own head. Everything over the last few weeks was just making her jittery. That was it. That _had_ to be it.

A breeze rolled by, and Bloom decided to question herself later. She started to head inside to see if she could get anyone to help her carry the picture in. Though while walking to the door, she reached into her coat pocket and gripped her old phone tightly. Musa's number was punched in, and would dial with the touch of a button. Just for good measure, of course.

When she opened the door, the sound of the music became louder, more pronounced. The building seemed to be one large room, though a small hallway was visible at the back of it. It was dimly lit, and the walls were painted a deep red, and she glanced around for any local artist she knew. But when her eyes looked over the place, she realized the obvious.

The entire room was empty.

And that wasn't it. The walls were bare, no pictures on them at all. She couldn't even tell where the music was coming from; there were no speakers anywhere in the room. A chill went down her spine, so violently her toes curled.

And then; "Please help me."

Bloom took a violent breath and spun around, grasping and yanking at the door handle. It was locked tight, not even moving an inch. She felt adrenaline coming over her – a fight or flight response. At that moment, she'd rather do the second.

The child's voice spoke again; louder and more pronounced over the music. "You know my sister. Please help me."

The redhead spun around, nearly jumping out of her shoes when she saw the figure maybe ten feet from her. Her hair was a caramel brown, tied in a sloppy bun with a yellow ribbon. Her dress was cream colored and faded, almost black in some places. But her eyes were terrifying; the entire iris was a pure black, making the whites of the eye look grey. But despite that, Bloom still recognized the figure.

"…Rose?"

The little girl raised her head. It looked as though she hadn't aged since Bloom had last seen her. "Help Bloom. Help."

With fear running through her veins, she reached back to tug on the door handle. It remained jammed, and despite the child's presence she swore viciously. "What is going on here? I demand you tell me!"

"Well aren't we used to giving orders?"

The voice made Bloom stop mid-jerk. Looking around, she saw a mass in the shadows that hadn't been there before. It was leaning against the wall, head bowed. When the head rose, Bloom could tell it was female from the long beach blonde hair and generous chest. She was dressed all in black, and when she smiled it made her hair stand on end. "Hello Bloom. It is so nice to finally meet you."

Had there been room, she would've taken a step back. "Who are you?"

The woman's eyebrow quirked, obviously in an over-dramatic gesture. "What? You mean Rose hasn't told you? My, how silly of her. Though you know the old saying," she grinned, detaching herself from the wall and pacing the length of the room. Her heels clacked on the wood floor. "'Beggars can't be choosers'. My name is Lia, and I must again say it is so nice to finally see you face-to-face."

From inside her jacket pocket, Bloom pressed the button on the phone. "Well Lia, I can't say it's a mutual feeling."

She laughed; cold and vicious. "No…I suppose it isn't for you."

"Can I help you with something? You want money; you can have my car."

"Ah, smart _and_ funny. Well, maybe not smart. No dear, I'm afraid what I need from you isn't of this world."

Bloom raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"

"Dragon Fire, dear," Lia said, turning on her heels and stalking towards her. "Specifically; _dark_ Dragon Fire."

"…You're asking the wrong person."

"Oh am I? Really? I'd think you know all about it; being taken over by the Shadow Fire and letting a darkened ember of your own power inside you."

Her jaw dropped; out of shock or fury at the reference to her sex life she wasn't sure. "You're from the Brotherhood of Redemption, aren't you? That's why you want the power."

Lia gave a small laugh, but her eyes were cold. "Such a clever girl. Now then, we can do this four ways. Number one; you tell us where to find Baltor to take hold of the Dark Flame, and we leave you and your children alone. Number two; you willingly give yourself to the Brotherhood for experimentation so we can locate the Dark Flame, and we leave him and your children alone. Number three; we take your children and turn them into things like poor little Rose here, and they turn against you and Baltor to help give us the Dark Flame. Number four," she paused, tapping a finger to her chin. "Hmm…well I suppose there were only three."

"Not really," Bloom growled. The woman turned to look at her in shock, and Bloom dropped her coat to the ground. She wasn't sure if Musa had answered, but if she did, she wanted her friend to be all ears. "Option four; I kick you ass off of this planet, and you and your Brotherhood freaks release Rose, and leave my children alone. And FYI; I don't know where Baltor is."

She expected fury. But instead, Lia just laughed and motioned with her finger for Rose to step back. "Well then, I guess we have to do this the hard way. Rose," she barked, and the young girl stood to attention. "Go find her children. Capture them. I'll deal with this little bitch myself." A whip of light appeared in her hands. "Maybe she'll have a change of heart."

Bloom took a deep breath and raised her arms over her head. "Let's go Enchantix!"

* * *

><p>By the time the set break rolled around, the crowds were raving like crazy. Kids and adults alike were in love with the new band that for some reason didn't have a name. The original songs were great, and the covers were amazing. Especially the girl in the purple boots that could mimic Katy Perry's voice for E.T. For reasons unknown, she was lighting up the show.<p>

She was talking into the microphone now, her voice slowly fading from the famous singer to her own. "Thank you guys so much for your support! We're going to break for a few, so until we're back we're going to let our friends Dex and Nikki crank out a few tunes for you!" The crowd groaned, but still cheered as Tori, Valen, Ali, and Jason left the stage. The second they got the all clear that their mics were off, Tori and Ali clung to each other, jumping up and down and screaming.

Valen rolled his eyes, but still hit his friend's shoulder. "You know how to book a gig, man."

He laughed. "Can you believe its going this well?"

"Never dreamed it possible."

"Thanks for that boost of confidence, Alessandria."

Ali hit Jason's shoulder playfully. "Shut up. You know I'm kidding."

Tori glanced between them. "Aren't you two being nice."

Her friend blushed, making her cheeks match skirt. Jason chuckled, ruffling her caramel blond hair. "Not like it's any different from any other day." Ali managed to say, her voice oddly calm.

"Exactly." Jason leaned back, looking satisfied. "Well I should go find my uncle; he promised he'd be around here. Who's coming?"

"I'm game," Ali said. "Tori?"

"Nah, Valen and I promised to call my Mom."

"Bummer. Say hi for us!"

"She seems so interested," Valen chuckled as the two walked off. He wasn't sweating as much as he thought; the night was pretty cool.

"You think?" Tori grinned, going over to her bag and retrieving her cell phone. "You seem ok with it."

"With what?"

She gave him a pointed look. "With _them_. As an _item_."

"Are they? It didn't seem like it."

"That's because you're horrible at emotions."

"I'm going to kindly ignore that. And anyway, who cares? We can replace them once we're famous."

Tori chuckled. "Cruel."

"It's a joke, loser." he said, walking up behind her as she dialed. They crouched in front of the phone, acting as a sound barrier from the crowd outside. It rang five times, six, seven…eight…

Tori looked at phone curiously. "It must be busy."

"No, that can't be right. Why would she be on the phone at a gallery opening? And she's never ignored one of our calls. Especially if we're here."

"I know. I'll try one more time." She hung up and redialed, listening as the phone rang again and again. "It's not going though. Let's just –"

Suddenly, the phone cut off mid-ring. Voices came though the line in mid-conversation. Tori shrugged. "See? She must've answered by accident. Everything's –"

A loud bang sounded from the other end of the line, and Tori and Valen distinctly heard their mother scream out in pain.

Tori's eyes became the size of dinner plates. "…fine."

"Yeah, that sounds fine to me," Valen snapped. There was a cold shiver running down his spine.

"_Come on now_," a voice spoke on the other end of the line; "_where's the power I've heard about, your Highness? The all-mighty Dragon Fire? Are you sure you just don't want to give up now?"_

From the other end of the line, Tori and Valen heard their mother breathing heavily and unevenly, like she was hurt. "_You are _not_ touching my children._"

Valen felt his sister reach out and grip his hand. He was too nervous to squeeze back.

"_Then just tell me where Baltor is, and I'll leave them be."_

"_I don't know! I haven't seen Baltor in almost fifteen years; I don't even know if he's still alive!"_

There was a pause, and then a dark chuckle. _"I refuse to believe that. Which is terrible for you."_ There was another loud crash, and Bloom screamed again. _"Don't worry, though. Rose may be going after Victoria and Valentine, but we'll experiment on _you_ first."_

"Experiment?" Tori whispered, more to herself.

Valen stood up abruptly, grabbing the phone out of her hands. He pressed a button that would record the conversation, and stuck it in his pocket. "Come on."

After a moment, his sister stood up too, looking a bit lost. "Where are we going?"

"Well we can't go back on stage, now can we? We'll be as obvious as Lady Gaga in a supermarket. We're calling Roxy and Andy, and we're getting the hell out of here."

"Valen," she said slowly, following him to the exit door of the stage. "Are you sure…"

"Did you not hear that?" he snapped. He was trying to remain calm, but his skin was crawling and his mind was whirling faster than a bullet. "Mom might be in real danger, and we might be too. Did you not hear her? That…Rose girl is coming to get us!"

She looked momentarily afraid, but took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay."

"Change your voice, too," he added, pulling off his vest and tie. He motioned for her to remove her gloves and jewelry. "You and Jason were the only one's talking in the microphones."

Tori nodded. "Got ya, luv." Her voice had a British accent.

Valen rolled his eyes. "Good enough." With that, he pushed the stage door open, grabbing his own phone and quickly dialing the number for the Fruity music bar. From behind, he could hear footsteps and Jason and Ali's voices. The door swung shut just as their shadows appeared.

The two started moving through the crowds, taking great care not to shove anyone too hard so they wouldn't be looked at. Tori kept her arm linked with her brothers, nervously looking around. Valen kept tapping his fingers against her arm as the phone rang. For some reason, it seemed to sound perfect in his ear, despite the roaring crowd.

On the sixth ring, a male voice answered. "Fruity Music Bar, this is –"

"Andy!" Valen cut off. Relief flooded him. "Thank God you answered."

"Valen! How are you, man? Aren't you performing at Disney tonight?"

"We were. But something's wrong."

There was a pause. "Something like what?"

"…We don't know exactly. We were calling Mom on the set break, but the line was busy. We called again and I think something hit the phone to accept the call. We heard bangs and a woman talking. She was saying she wanted something called Dragon Fire and said she was sending a girl named Rose after us. It might be nothing but –"

"This woman wants the Dragon Fire?" Andy asked, his tone serious. His reaction told Valen this was a serious matter.

"I don't know. She also mentioned something about a man named Baltor." There wasn't a response. "He's our father, isn't he? This is his fault."

He heard Andy sigh. "We can discuss Baltor later. I know your mother planned to wait until you were both eighteen to tell you this…that's not important right now. Roxy's coming to get you. She'll be there in maybe ten minutes."

The line crackled. Valen strained to hear him. "What do you mean? You're an hour away!"

"We'll explain everything later. For now, tell me where you are."

Valen looked around. Somewhere during the conversation they'd broken though the crowd and walked to the less crowded area of the park. "We're at the Hollywood Studios Backlot, near the Tower."

"All right. Do not get on any ride, and stay out sight. Where was the gallery opening you Mom was going to?"

"It was –" he cut off as the phone line dissolved into static. "Andy? Andy!"

Suddenly the static faded. "Help me." A voice said. "Help me."

Valen held the phone out. Tori was straining to hear, but she looked equally afraid of the voice. "Who are you?" Valen asked. "Is this Rose?"

"The Brotherhood will find you." The child's voice spoke. "You can't hide, Valentine. We can find you."

Valen snapped the phone shut. "They know we're here. Anything on Mom's phone?"

"Just screeching and loud banging." Tori said in her accent. She held the other phone to her ear.

"Put it away. We're going on a ride."

"Are you nuts?" his sister screeched, digging her heels into the ground. "Did you not hear Andy?"

"I heard him, but so did Rose. We need to do the opposite of what they think."

Tori sighed, looking at the massive building in front of her, the line surprisingly short for a Friday night. "Tower of Terror?"

Valen nodded. "Tower of Terror."

* * *

><p>Bloom slammed into the wall at twenty-five miles an hour. She heard a distinct snap, and a moment later her wrist started burning. With a frustrated growl, she tore her fairy dust pendant from her neck and poured some of its contents onto her wrist. The pain immediately dulled before it became unbearable.<p>

That was the fourth bone she'd had to heal herself with her fairy dust. This Lia was a tougher fight than she thought. What annoyed her even more was that she seemed to only be getting started. While she didn't have a fairy form (she was human, for Christ's sake), there was defiantly a kind of power she possessed.

"What's the problem, hon?" Lia asked in a mocking tone, her lips curled into a smirk. "Didn't you say I was in for an ass kicking?"

Bloom focused on controlling her breathing, blocking the woman's words from her head. Her powers were reaching a low pit; she'd been fighting for the better part of an hour. She didn't have enough power for a teleportation spell, and all the exits were barricaded.

Lia fired another shot, hitting the fairy in the leg. Bloom hissed in pain. "Aww, are you getting tired?"

"You can…say whatever you want. You're not…getting you hands on…"

"Oh give it up," the blonde woman replied, sounding bored. "I'll make this clear; we're getting you. We're getting your children. In fact," she continued, a smirk spreading across her face. "I wouldn't be surprised if they're about to meet the same fate as you."

"…What the hell does that mean?"

For a response, the woman launched another burst of energy at her.

Bloom used the blast's momentum so send her back into a wall so she could support herself. Her fairy form flickered, a warning she couldn't hold out much longer. She looked around for her coat with the cell phone, but she saw to her dismay it was on the other side of the room.

A blast hit her from the side and she went tumbling to the floor. The edges of her vision blurred, and she felt her arm scrape across a nail in the floor and slice open. She lifted herself up on her arms and reached a hand out to the fresh wound. It came back a deep, crimson red. The overwhelming metallic scent made her stomach churn, and she felt her consciousness slip away.

From somewhere in the room, she heard Lia laugh. Bloom didn't acknowledge it as she finally let her body give up and drop to the ground. "Baltor," she whispered, more out of delirium than anything else, "Please help me."

With that, the world fell from under her.

* * *

><p>"Row three." The woman dressed in the hotel attendant uniform said, motioning to the numbers on the floor behind her.<p>

With a quick 'thank you', Tori and her brother stepped into line, the final one before the ride. The building had terrible reception, and as a result the call with her mother had been dropped. They still had the recording, but Tori was still nervous as hell. All those stories she'd heard about monsters and demons from her childhood seemed to be coming true, and on the best night of her life.

Valen was equally as thrilled. He stood in front of her, hands jammed in his pockets, tapping his foot impatiently like he was in a very long line. "Ali's going to kill us," he finally stated, desperate to hear something other than the creepy background noise that was playing.

It took Tori a moment to realize what he was talking about. "You talked to Andy. Apparently this is serious."

"I know, but – "

"Ali will just have to deal with it. She always does."

The two fell back into silence as more people stepped into line near them. Eventually, the doors in front of them opened, giving way to a creepy looking man who launched into an obviously rehearsed speech of 'The Hollywood Tower Hotel'. He then led the people into their respective seats. Tori and Valen were in the back row, taking the two seats near the left wall of the car. Everyone fastened their belts, and once the safety checks were done the man leaned on the side of the door, looking everyone over with cold eyes.

"You know," he said absentmindedly, "the Hollywood Tower Hotel used to rest in the most prestigious area of the city." His eyes fell on the twins, and his lips curled into a smirk. "6200 Franklin Avenue."

Realization struck Tori, and she reached out and gripped Valen's hand. "Dude."

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "What?"

"That's the address."

"He just said that."

"_The_ address," she hissed. "The one on that letter addressed to us. Without a city or state."

It took Valen a moment to realize what she meant. When he did, Tori got the frightening sight of seeing him pale a few shades.

"I want off of this thing," she suddenly spoke up, louder and still in her accent. "I changed my mind."

There were mutters of 'what?' and 'isn't she a chicken'. Tori pointedly ignored it, but instead focused her gaze on the man running the ride. She expected him to look annoyed but respect her wishes. Instead, his chilling smirk got wider. "I'm afraid once you're in the ride Victoria, you must see it through."

"Hey – how'd you know my name?"

He didn't respond, but instead pressed a button on the car. A moment later, the belts unlocked and retracted back across the passengers' laps. There were distinct moans and glares, but Tori ignored it and stood up, Valen following a second later. "Thank –"

Suddenly, the man clicked another button, and the door leading off the ride closed. The car jerked back, and Tori and Valen were thrown back into their seats. People gasped and quickly grabbed the belts to re-secure them. Tori did the same, but when she put the metal buckle into the slot, it retracted back immediately. "Valen," she said, her voice growing nervous. She looked over and saw his wasn't attaching either.

"No," her brother muttered, trying a bit violently to put it into the lock.

"_Welcome to the Hollywood Tower Hotel_," a voice boomed from the speakers. "_One stormy night long ago, five people stepped through the door of an elevator and into a nightmare_."

People screamed, trying to lock the belts into place. One man in the front row leaned over the front of the car and pressed a few buttons on the control. Nothing happened.

"_Wave goodbye to the world you know._"

"Valen!" Tori screeched, fear in her voice. "What do we do?"

Her brother reached out and grabbed her hand, forcing it to wrap around the armrests of the ride. All around them people were panicking, taking out their phones and trying to dial numbers. A little girl in the second row was crying. "Just hold on!"

"That's a piece of shit! We're going to die!"

"_But this time," _the voice continued, sounding more intimidating than ever before. "_It's opening for you._"

The car dropped.

* * *

><p><strong>Bet none of you are going to ride the Tower of Terror now, huh? My little cousin and I recently took a trip out to DisneyLand, and though we didn't get to go on this ride, she asked me what I thought would happen if the seat belts didn't work on the ride, hence the inspiration! So a shout-out to my cousin Eliza! Also, a bis shout out to everyone who added this story to their favorites and alerts! If you didn't review, please do; I swear I don't bite ;-). Hope everyone's enjoying their summer, and I'll be back with updates soon! Peace!<strong>

**ember**


	4. One Of Those Nights

**Buenos Dias friends! School is back, and so are updates to avoid school work (though I am in the nurses office right now, because P.E. was cancelled due to a heat advisory)! There's tons more to say, but I'll let you read first.**

* * *

><p><em>Please help me<em>

With a jerk, Baltor snapped his eyes open and shot up into a sitting position. The reaction was so fast, he fell right off the leather couch he'd been sleeping on. He hit the floor on his side, rolling onto his back.

_Bloom_

He'd know her power anywhere. Though he was fairly surprised she could send out a power signal like that. He didn't know where she was, but it more than likely was a few planets off Earth.

With a sigh he stood up, shaking the last of the sleepy daze from his mind. Walking across the room he jerked the curtains of the apartment open, sunlight falling through and illuminating the space. God, he hated how the sun rose so early in London. Clouds were in the distance, suggesting it was going to be a grey day.

His gaze shifted to the left, where an old table was being weighed down by masses of spell books. It took him only a moment to locate the one he wanted – a surprisingly thin brown leather book, no bigger than a journal. He snapped his fingers and the book rose to his eye level, flipping open and finding the page he needed. As his magic worked, he couldn't help but feel a bit curious.

What in the world did Bloom need him for? She had made it perfectly clear at their final battle that she didn't want anything to do with him anymore. And he'd honored her request, going to Earth with as many spell books as he could transport (because honestly, it wasn't like he could stay in the magical dimension). And now, fifteen years later, this happens.

So why was he so concerned?

He hadn't slept in two days, and he had plans to go to Egypt later in the week to look through the Library of Alexandria for any ancient spells (despite the fairies disappearing, the place was abundant with magic). If he had any sense, he would put the book down and go back to sleep – preferably in his bed this time because that couch was very uncomfortable.

But of course, the spell book beat him to it, landing on the page about using your powers to send mental messages. He debated on leaving it, but he knew he'd never live with himself. He grabbed the book and sat down on the couch again, looking though the bits of writing.

It launched into a long and boring description of why the spell was useful, and then how to perform it. Apparently it didn't take that much energy to send, but it varied by the diameter you wanted to send the message. In the most extreme cases, adrenaline could convert to energy to send it. In those cases, which were the most advanced, the spell could go across an entire planet, at most.

Well that was interesting. She was on Earth.

He flipped forward a few pages, looking for a location spell. It took him a few minutes to properly read through it (he could've sworn he'd translated all the books written in ancient languages, considering the free time he now had). Once he had it memorized he read it through, feeling his power course through his veins. God, how he missed this feeling.

The air in front of him grew cold, and he saw what look like a globe of light materialize in front of him. After a few seconds it took on the familiar shape of Earth. He carefully reached out and tilted it one way, watching it move under his fingertips. After a few turns, he saw a bright glow emitting from the west coast of America. He flicked a finger, and the globe zoomed in around southern California, on some kind of peninsula.

"_Message is composed of 90% adrenaline." _a voice spoke from the globe, completely automated. The spell was from Zenith, after all.

"What was the status?" he questioned, his voice a little dry since he'd just woken up.

There was a pause._ "Message status critical. Sent from 4500 South Rosewood, Long Beach, California, The United States of America."_

Baltor glanced back to the book, wondering what else he could ask. "What was the energy level of the sender, and who was this message intended for?"

"_Energy level of sender was less than 14%. Message intended for…" _the computer voice trailed off, replacing with Bloom's._ "'Baltor'. Message is as follows; 'Baltor, please help me.'" _There was a loud crash in the background, and the voice stopped talking.

Baltor drummed his fingers against the arm of the couch. It sounded like she'd been a fight. Quite a large one, by the statistics he was being given. "Reply."

"_Sender location is unknown at this time. Reply cannot be issued."_

Well that sounded great. "How long can this location be stored?"

"_Location will be stored for seventy-two hours."_

Three days. Baltor glanced at the table next to him. It was covered with pages regarding the Library of Alexandria, his passport resting on top of them. He usually just teleported to places, but the thing came in handy when dealing with police in other nations. He picked it up, absently flipping though it. "Anything else?"

There was a few seconds pause from the globe._ "Low energy levels due to excessive power usage, suggesting battle. Magic perimeter set around location to pick up energy on the following frequencies; Dragon Fire. Two live data feeds active during the sending of this message."_

Baltor sighed. "What kind of signals?"

"_Telephone." _Bright red lines spread from the source of the light on the globe, one stopping a bit away and one going straight out, meaning the call was off-planet._ "One call directed to the Harmonic Nebula, the other directed to Disney's California Adventure, Anaheim, California, The –"_

He cut the spell. The ball of light dissipated in front of him. With a sigh, he hauled himself off of the couch, glancing the reflection of the window. His hair was slightly disheveled, and he was wearing dark jeans and white button up shirt.

It wasn't the best weather to get on a plane, but it would have to do.

Still…

There had been live calls going when Bloom had sent that request for help. He couldn't look into the one in the Harmonic Nebula, since that would require him crossing back into the magical dimension. The other one hadn't looked far off, maybe a half hour from the location if he could find a car.

That settled it then. He grabbed his passport and an old beat up leather wallet, sticking them both in his back pocket. With a snap of his fingers, his old burgundy jacket appeared on his form. And with another, he disappeared in a bang on displaced air.

He'd never been to an amusement park before. This would certainly be a new experience.

* * *

><p>The car dropped – just a little, maybe a floor and a half. But it was still sudden enough and so fast that Valen was jolting. A woman in front of him had foolishly not been holding onto the arm handles of the car, and she went flying upwards, her head banging on the metal roof. She fell back down and landed on the floor with a sickening thud. People screamed.<p>

From next to him, Tori took a sharp intake of breath. "Is she dead?"

"We're all gonna die anyway!" a man yelled as the car jerked upward at a fast pace.

Valen's head was whirling. He'd never been in a situation like this before. "Will you shut up! We're not going to die, so long as you hang on!"

"Uh, no offense V, but That's not the best advice."

He rolled his eyes, looking around wildly. "How much room between that hole in the grating and the edge of the shaft?"

Tori glanced to her left. "Maybe five feet? But what's the plan from there?"

He cursed under his breath, grabbing his sister's hand. Valen shut his eyes tightly, getting nauseous from the velocity of the car. He needed time to think, to breath, to help….

Suddenly, the car jolted to a stop. At least, it _felt_ like they'd stopped. It was still dark behind his eyelids, which meant they couldn't be at the top already. However, he was too nervous to open them.

Tori tugged on his sleeve hesitantly. "Valen…"

Slowly, he peeled his eyes open.

And his jaw promptly fell to the floor.

They were moving – at least everyone looked like they were. Hair was suspended in the air, clothes were wrinkled as though they were rushing through the air, and everyone's faces were set in looks of fear. But none of them were moving. "What the hell…"

"They're all…frozen." Tori looked around. "Did that Rose girl do that?"

Valen looked up through the roof of the car. They were rising slowly; the opening where you could see throughout the parks was just visible. "…I think…_I_ did that."

"You?"

"Well I mean, I heard Andy with perfectly clarity out there, and now this…it's almost like when I really need something –"

Tori smacked him upside the head with her free hand. "We are about to plummet to our deaths, and you think you have magic powers?"

"It was a suggestion! I mean, we lock our hands and time slows down, damn it! What was it that woman said…Dragon Fire?"

His sister sighed, but she didn't try to correct him. "How about we figure out how to get out of here first, and _then_ we worry about that?"

He sighed, looking up again. "We have to bail out up there."

"What?"

"You know when the cart stops and we can see all around the park? And then they take our picture? We go to the front of the car and bail out on that ledge. Okay?"

"…Will it work?"

"We'll be fine."

She took a deep breath. "You sure?"

"No. That was a clever lie to shut you up." Tori glared at him, and he gave her a toothy smile. "You with me?"

"Is there a choice?"

Their hands still locked, Tori and Valen stood and carefully stepped to the front of the car. Everything was still slow, but the opening in the shaft was much more visible, pouring light onto them. "Ready?" Valen asked, holding up their hands, fisted together. His sister nodded hesitantly, and they dropped their hands at the same moment.

Time sped up. Noise reached their ears and Tori almost fell to the ground as the car suddenly began moving again at a rapid pace. People seemed oblivious that they had moved, focused more on getting a good grip on their seats.

Finally, they reached the opening in the shaft. Tori jumped first, landing with shaky feet. The heel of the boot cut through a cord, and a light went out. Valen jumped next, landing much more gracefully. He turned back to the car to try and help someone, but instead found blank faces looking at him. Everyone's eyes had gone completely black. No one spoke as the car dropped, their bodies fading to dust.

The young boy coughed loudly, waving his hand in front of his face to clear the debris. "They weren't real. That girl knew we were on this in the first place. You still think magic doesn't exist, Tori?" he questioned, turning to look at his sister.

Her attention wasn't on him. She was staring at the view, her eyes focused on something. Carefully, he turned in the small space to look outside. It didn't take long to find it; in the distance, flying toward them at a fast speed, was what looked like a person dressed in green.

Valen could've said it was that stupid Tinker Bell show, but after a moment he saw the thing had hair. Bright pink hair.

"_Roxy_," Valen breathed, not sure what he was feeling.

It took a few minutes for the woman to reach them. Her body looked slimmer, and she had a green one-sleeved top and shorts. She stopped about a foot from the opening, smiling softly. "Didn't Andy tell you no rides?"

Tori stared at her with gaping eyes. "That…is…_awesome!_"

Valen rolled his eyes and Roxy laughed. "I guess it is kind of awesome."

"You're a fairy? Which means those stories Mom told us about other worlds…they're real?"

"Weren't you telling me how magic was stupid a few seconds ago?" her brother asked.

"We were falling to our deaths, ok?"

Roxy's face grew serious. "Someone tried to attack you two?"

"Yeah…a call came through my phone, and we hid out on this ride. But the seatbelts didn't work and –"

She held up her hand. "Cell phones you two. Now."

The twins glanced at each other, but did as they were told. Roxy looked them over, and promptly chucked them into the elevator shaft.

"Hey!" Tori yelled. "That cost me five months of allowance!"

"We'll get you new ones. For now, let's just get you two out of here." Without waiting for a response she flew forward, grabbing Valen with one arm and Tori with her other. "Both of you hang on, and do not scream. We don't know if they've sent anything else after you."

_Define anything,_ Valen almost asked, but a second later he was flying though the air, and despite his demeanor of being the calm, level headed one, it took everything in his power not to scream. He usually enjoyed the sensation of falling, but after tonight he had feeling he would have a fear of heights.

They landed on the side of the ride, right behind a gate that lead to the central part of the park. Valen had to fight to regain his normal breathing, but Tori looked like she was having the time of her life. He almost said something to her, but just as he opened his mouth there was a loud pop and a rush of air, and in the blink of an eye there was a man sprawled on the ground, Tori on top of him.

* * *

><p>Even before she was pushed by a random gust of wind, Tori had already decided this was the craziest night of her life. But no, despite her mother going missing and almost being killed on a thrill ride, it got weirder. To be precise, it got weirder when she pushed herself up off the man who'd appeared out nowhere, and gotten the shock of her life.<p>

It was startling really, after fifteen years of being different from everyone else, to see a person who looked just like you. The same hair, same high cheekbones, and (shockingly) the same gold eyes. Tori was practically hypnotized; so much so she probably could've stayed there staring at him for a good hour.

Thankfully, she didn't get the chance.

"Are you ok, Tori?" Valen asked, pulling her from on top of the man. He gave the other man a side-glance, and Tori could tell from the look on his face he didn't like the guy.

Roxy meanwhile, helped the other man to his feet. "Are you ok, sir?"

The man's gaze – previously on Tori, finally acknowledged her. "Fine, thank you." His eyes grazed over her outfit, and Tori saw his eyebrows quirk ever so slightly. "Everything ok here?"

There was an uncomfortable silence as Tori, Valen, and Roxy exchanged glances. "…Fine," Tori finally spoke. "We're performing here."

She watched as something flickered in the man's eyes; almost like a switch turning off an emotion, as though he had been…hopeful. Of course as for the motivation of this, Tori had no idea. "That would explain your…attire."

"Yes, it does," Roxy cut in before the twins could speak; apparently reminded that she was the adult in this situation. Her eyes were glued on the mystery man. "There was just a little problem with the ride."

He nodded. "That _would_ explain the fairy form."

Her jaw dropped. "How do you –"

"I'm not an idiot," he said, holding up his palm. A second later, a burst of light came from it, and what looked like a fireball was hovering a few inches above his hand.

In an automatic response, Valen grabbed Tori and pushed her behind him; not that she really registered it. She was transfixed by the glowing orb in his hand; she'd never seen anything like it before. And unlike the amateur street performers she often saw, she could feel a tingle in air. It told her this wasn't just some elaborate hoax.

The man watched them with mild amusement. "I'm not going to hurt your girlfriend."

"Ugh," Valen grimaced. Tori seemed to snap out of her hypnotic state, looking equally sick. "She's my sister, sicko. Not my girlfriend."

"Valen," Roxy said in a warning tone. Her eyes were guarded, something that the woman rarely did. Tori knew whatever was going on, her godmother didn't like it. "So, you're a wizard?"

He nodded. "You're a fairy. Now that we've worked past the basics, maybe you can help me." The ball of energy morphed into a globe, zooming in on southern California. There was an area of light near what Tori assumed was a street, and a blinking red dot on a blank space – where they were (at least, she thought). "A friend of mine recently sent a…distress signal to me. She had an outgoing phone line here."

Tori raised an eyebrow, staring intently at the map. "What's the address?"

The man seemed to do a double take. "4500 South Rosewood, if I'm not mistaken."

"Mom's art gallery."

He raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

Roxy's face has settled into a look of shock. Tori could tell she knew something that neither she nor Valen did. To further prove her point, she cleared her throat a little loudly, a sign she was nervous. "You must be looking for my friend Bloom. I'm Roxy," she held out her hand, not waiting for him to speak. "This is Victoria and her brother Valentine. Bloom is their mother; I'm their godmother." She raised her eyebrow slightly, a silent 'you can take this any way you want'.

The man's eyes widened for a moment, but as soon as it'd appeared on his face, his calm had returned. He reached out and took her hand. "Roxy, you said? Bloom mentioned you to me – not very much though. Apparently you two had just met the last time we spoke."

"How do you know our mother?" Valen spoke up, his face guarded. Tori jabbed him in the side, but he paid little attention.

His lips quirked in barely contained amusement. "I was a good friend of your mother's a long time ago. I'm surprised neither of you got her hair."

Valen shrugged. It was obvious that – despite knowing him for the better part of five minutes – he didn't like the other man. "We both got a mix of the red and some blond. I wasn't very fond of it."

Tori watched as a flicker of something dark flashed across his eyes. His smirk dropped, and his tone became cool. "My apologies that your features came out more like your father. Speaking of the blonde bastard, I'm surprised he's not here strangling me. On Eraklyon, perhaps? I doubt your colored contacts would fly with him; ever since he met me, gold hasn't been a favorite color of his."

"Wha-" Tori began, and then stopped as she registered his words. She'd told him they were performing in the park – he must've assumed her eyes were colored contacts. It wouldn't have been the first time someone thought the color was fake.

"Actually," Valen cut off, "Our father…left. We've been living here our entire lives. We've never heard anything about other planets before. But…you know him?"

"Valentine," Roxy snapped. "Please worry about your father later."

"Trust me, you're not losing anything not knowing Sky..." He muttered. "But, back to the matter in which I came…"

The older woman nodded. "From what Valen said, Bloom could be in serious danger. I think there's a person trying to steal her power, and they've locked her at that address. They just tried to take these two down," she motioned to the twins behind her. "Bloom gave me a name a few days ago that she thought could be a clue to this…cult. I can call my husband and have him run it by me."

He gave a short laugh. "I'd tell your husband to pack up and run. If these guys have already found them, and you're now legally in charge of them…"

"Would they take Chris?" Tori asked suddenly.

"More than likely they'll take anyone," Roxy ran a hand through her hair. "I flew here – I don't have a car."

"What about teleportation?" the man asked – he hadn't said his name yet, Tori realized. "Do these two know any good spells?"

Tori, who'd been relatively quiet during the whole exchange, straightened up. "Huh?"

Roxy put a hand on her shoulder, and the other one on Valen's. "They haven't been trained. Besides a few little tricks they can perform without thinking, they don't have any signs of developed powers."

The young boy shrugged her off, almost violently. "Haha, I'm sorry. I must've heard you wrong."

Tori watched as the older man's lips quirked up again. "Sounds like Bloom."

"Yeah thanks, mister seventeenth century."

"Valentine! Enough," Roxy's voice was cold. "I can manage the teleportation – they'll probably pick up on the Dragon Fire anyway. And once we find Bloom, _you_," she pointed a bright pink nail at the older man. "had better start explaining things."

Tori shivered as a wicked grin spread across his lips. "Of course. It would be foolish to think otherwise."

* * *

><p>When Bloom came to, she was laying on something very cold.<p>

Her eyes slowly opened, taking in a dimly lit room; so much so she couldn't see more than a few feet in front of her. She took a deep breath and watched as it came out in a fine white mist. She tried to lift herself up, but her body ached terribly. With a groan, the limbs failed and she collapsed.

However, her face made contact with something slick, and with a gasp she sat up, ignoring the pain from the bones she'd had to heal with her fairy dust. After blinking repeatedly, she saw why she'd felt so cold.

She had been lying on a block of solid ice, maybe two by seven feet.

Looking around, she saw similar blocks scattered throughout the room. Some were piled onto large metal shelves on either end of the room. There were about five scattered around the room, not on shelves. Bloom's eyes looked to the large metal door across from her. It looked sturdy.

The redhead let out another foggy breath. If she could break the door down…

"Well you're awake at last."

Bloom jumped. This time she was sure Lia hadn't been in the room before. She must have had a teleport device of some kind – and an obvious kick for scaring the hell out of people.

"Welcome to your new accommodations," the blonde woman spoke warmly, but there was a fake quality in her voice. "Sorry about the temperature; I've been meaning to call someone about the air conditioner."

Bloom rolled her eyes. "Your acting is worse than your hair job. This is a freezer – one of those huge ones you find in restaurants. As far as hideouts go, I think you deserve a D for creativity."

A smirk appeared on her face; colder than the air around them. "I'll notify my bosses. They told me to give you a little tour but…" she paused, running a manicured nail over a nearby ice block. There was a loud screech that bounced off the walls. "Considering your attitude, maybe you should just take your chances."

"Well I take it your plan is to lock me in here until I freeze."

She laughed. "Oh Bloom…they told me you'd be fast-assuming."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Who's they?"

Lia didn't answer. "You, my dear, are going to undergo a series of tests. The one you're currently in deals with frigid temperatures, confine spaces, and the ability to withstand fatigue."

"...Your test is to lock me in a freezer and see how long I can last? Wow, you are _sad_." Bloom took pride in the dark scowl that crossed her face. "I've had babysitting jobs more difficult."

"Oh you think?" as soon as the evil look had crossed the blond woman's face, her cool smirk reappeared. "Well then, I think I should give you a little bit of extra information." She gestured to a block of ice in front of Bloom. "If you aren't careful, you'll end up like that."

She raised an eyebrow. "Cold?"

"Look again."

With Lia's eyes on her, Bloom cautiously stepped forward and placed a hand on the ice block. It was freezing, but there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary about it. She brushed back a thin layer of frost.

And with a scream, jerked back from the block.

Trapped within the ice was – to her disgust and astonishment – a person. She was fairly sure it was a man, his face set in a silent scream. She looked between him and Lia, putting pieces together in her head. "You…froze him?"

"That's what happens if you sleep for longer than an hour here. Don't look so stressed; it's only for twenty hours."

"And do I want to know what happens after that?"

She grinned. "Maybe you'll be willing to cooperate."

"In your dreams."

Lia laughed. "It's not me dreaming that I'm concerned about."

She disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Bloom alone with the frozen bodies.

* * *

><p>It was safe to say that after her first teleportation, Tori only had one word to describe it; terrifying.<p>

The sensation of falling infinitely with the darkness surrounding you was not a pleasant experience. Her stomach seemed to have the same idea, since it she felt like she was about to hurl. It was so overwhelming it took her a few moments to realize she was standing on solid ground, across the street from the galley her mom was supposed to be at.

From her side, she heard Valen breathing heavily. "No one…_ever_…make me do that again."

"Tori?" Roxy questioned. "Are you alright?"

She couldn't respond. Between her stomach churning and her pounding head, the world seemed to be disoriented.

"Whoa, kid." Before she could blink the man had looped his arm around her waist, helping her to stand. It took her a minute to realize her legs had given out. "I've never seen anyone have such a negative reaction to teleportation."

"I…I'm fine." Tori finally managed to say.

"You don't look fine, dear." The older man replied, looking her over carefully. "Deathly ill is more like it."

Glancing to her right, Tori saw Valen standing with his fists clenched. Somehow, it snapped her out of her daze. At least, enough to push the man away from her. "I'm alright. Just a bad reaction, right? You said people can react negatively to it."

If he was startled by her attitude change, he didn't show it. He simply stepped back, his eyes falling to the building across the street. Tori followed his gaze "Mom's in there, you said?"

"Should be," Roxy said, her eyes following his. "Or they've moved her."

"My spell couldn't pick up on her location, so I'm betting they moved her."

Valen nodded, his hand resting on Tori's shoulder. "So we go over there and check it out."

"No way," Rosy said. "If there's a magic detector there, those guys will find you even faster. I'll go."

"Alone? No way."

"Valen, I am not going to discuss this further."

Tori glanced between them. "If our powers are technically underdeveloped, or possibly nonexistent…"

"They can still be detected."

"She _is_ your godmother," the mystery man said, a bit absently; "In the event of Bloom's disappearance, she is in fact your legal guardian. What she says goes."

Tori sighed. "You're not helping us."

"And besides," Valen snapped, his tone less friendly, "We don't even know your name."

He rolled his eyes and started to respond…

"Baltor!"

Raising an eyebrow, the man shut his mouth. "Actually, that's right." He glanced around the shadowy parking lot. "Who said that?"

"Take a wild guess."

Suddenly, a bright pink light shot out from near the small group, knocking the man – Baltor apparently, off his feet, suspending him upside down in the air. Tori's gaze fell back to where the blast had come from, and watched as a woman stepped from the shadows.

She was older, around Roxy and her mother's age. She had long black hair tied in a thick braid that hung on her shoulder and fell to her waist. Her features suggested she was partially Asian, and she wore a short purple dress and black leggings. Her expression was anything but friendly. "You are dead meat if you've hurt her."

Baltor's expression turned to a look of amusement. "Musa. I can honestly say I'm surprised to see you."

"Oh I bet you are." She glanced towards Roxy. "Sorry to break up whatever sick little reunion's going on here."

Roxy looked surprised. "We aren't –"

"Save it. I can only imagine. I've got a newsflash for you; if you've made a deal with this devil, you can bet you'll get burnt."

In slight desperation, Roxy turned her gaze back to Baltor, only to be met with a shrug (which looked a bit odd considering he was doing it upside down). "The inability to listen and incredibly ironic jabs. Roxy, meet Musa. And Musa – before you start hanging everyone up like chickens, maybe you could do with an introduction. This is Roxy; the last fairy of Earth and the Princess of Tir Nan Ogg."

It became quiet around the group. "You're a princess?" Tori whispered in disbelief.

Roxy gave her a comforting look. "Just like you. And before I forget," she continued, turning her gaze back to Musa, who had at least fallen quiet; "I'm a close and personal friend of Bloom's. As well as the legal guardian of her children. Now, do you still feel like suspending me upside down and hitting my with a blast of high-pitched country music?"

"I hate country," the black-haired woman said quietly. Tori saw a look of embarrassment flash across her face. "I guess…we're all on edge here, you know?"

Roxy nodded. "Never thought I'd see the day where a person could take Bloom down."

"Ditto that."

"Oh sure, that didn't hurt my ego," came a voice a little ways above them. Tori looked up at Baltor with amusement, his arms crossed over his chest and his face fairly red from the blood rushing to it. "Now that we've all had a moment, can you please let me down from here?"

Musa's gaze went from almost friendly to guarded. "Oh no. Not until I get some answers out of you. Why are you here? You died fifteen years ago."

"She let me go."

"Who?"

"A mermaid," he snapped with a cruel sarcasm that made everyone jump. "Who do you think? Bloom; she let me go with orders not to bother anyone again or make any kind of contact. I listened, and I haven't seen her since. The only reason I'm here is because she sent a distress signal to me. I followed an outgoing phone line from her location, and promptly ran into Roxy and Bloom's apparently powerless children. And on that note, why exactly did Sky leave her?"

Musa stared up at him, slightly perplexed. "Sky divorced Bloom. A few days after her twins were born, actually. She moved here, and none of us had seen her since. And according to the divorce records," Musa continued, her eyes falling to Tori and Valen; "the reason they did was because the kids weren't –"

She cut off the minute she laid eyes on Tori. Granted, that always happened when people got a look at her eyes, but unlike the typical reaction, Musa looked shocked and a bit afraid. She glanced down at herself, wondering if there was something wrong with the way she was dressed.

Valen had similar ideas. "What?"

Musa didn't say anything. Instead, she let out a long sigh, waving her hand. A second later, the pink light keeping Baltor suspended above the ground dissipated. He fell hard on his back. "You…" she couldn't find the right words. "I can't believe you."

"What?" Tori and Valen asked at the same time.

"The eyes, I know," Baltor spoke up, wincing a bit from the fall. "They're colored contacts."

Musa turned back to Tori. "Are they?"

Slowly, Tori shook her head. "My eyes are naturally gold. I got them from my…"

"Father." Musa finished, her hand rubbing her temples. "So I thought."

"Why?" Valen asked, looking between Musa, Roxy, and Baltor. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Musa sighed again. "Look guys; I don't know how to say this, especially since I'm pretty sure Bloom never figured it out either. But…this is Baltor, one of the most feared criminals in the magic dimension. And…I'm pretty sure he's your father."

* * *

><p><strong>Leave it to Musa to just spit stuff out, eh?<strong>

**So, good news is that I've got a pretty good idea of where this story's going (though some people might not be too happy about that...make of that what you want ;-) ), so updates should be a lot more frequent between that and Damn Rough Night - for anyone who left a review on that after it's 6 month hiatus, you guys rock! Any fans of One More Night, I'm sorry to say it's been moved to hiatus for the time being. It'll remain up on the site though, until the plot bunnies decide to rejoin me.**

**Anyway...reviews! You guys are the best for reading through this (the chapter's aren't exactly little 1.000 word blips, I know), and I know I should be grateful for that alone (almost 1.000 hits!), but you guys will totally brighten my day if you leave a little word on what you think. Virtual cookies will be rewarded to all! Yes, I did just use the virtual cookie line. That should only show how desperate I am.**

**Peace guys!**

**ember**


	5. I Want to Be Free

**Two months. I haven't updated this in two months. I am so so _so_ sorry it took this long. Updates won't be this bad again since this is now the only long running story I'm doing. So, I'm sure you're all dying to know what's happening, so I'll let you read.**

* * *

><p>"Is this the key Daddy?"<p>

Andy glanced up from trying to pick the drawer's lock with a paper clip and a very small paintbrush. He grinned at his son, holding an old, rusty-looking key. "Let's check it out."

He took the key and slipped it into the lock. A second later there was a loud click, and it sprung open. "You are a genius," he said, ruffling Christian's hair.

Chris looked pleased at the comment, but after a minute his face grew serious. "Daddy? Why are we here?"

Andy was digging through the drawer, grabbing the diplomas and the divorce record, along with some of Bloom's old photos. He only took what seemed necessary; he wanted the place to look undisturbed. "I told you Chris; Bloom, Tori, and Valen are going away for a while. And Bloom wanted us to get some things for her."

"Why can't she?"

_She was possibly kidnapped_. "She's…busy right now, man." After looking through the pages under his arm again, he shoved them into the old backpack he was carrying. "Did you get some stuff for Valen?"

Chris nodded. "His guitar, pictures, and some clothes. I put them into the suitcase you told me."

"Good boy," Andy said as he mentally went through the checklist in his head. Roxy was on her way to get the kids, Tori and Valen had been removed from the school system, and once they got the magical dimension they could take Bloom's kidnapping up with the Council. So right now all they needed to do was throw things in the kids' suitcases and get rid of any magical evidence.

…At least it sounded easy.

"Can you put some stuff away for Tori?"

Chris nodded, and then turned and headed off down the stairs. As soon as he was gone, Andy's phone went off. He answered quickly.

"How's it going?" his wife's voice spoke at the other end of the line.

Andy sighed. "It's alright. I got into that drawer, finally. Bloom's good at hiding things. How are you guys?"

There was a pause. "We're certain she was taken. This…Brotherhood of Redemption is bad news."

He sighed, moving into Bloom's bedroom. He opened the closet door, and saw a safe nestled between two racks of clothes. He kneeled down and started to work on the combination. "You sound like there's something else."

Roxy sighed. "Guess who showed up after I got the kids?"

"…Chuck Norris?"

"Andy!"

"All right, sorry! Who?"

"Baltor."

The man's hand stilled. "Oh no."

"Oh yes. And Musa not long after that."

It was his turn to sigh as he heard the safe door click and slide open. "She told them?"

"Yep."

"How'd they take it?"

"…Valen hurt Baltor."

Andy couldn't help but crack up. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"No, he really _hurt_ him. He punched him in the face and pushed him back against a wall with a magic blast. I'm pretty sure he messed up his ankle."

Andy paused, grabbing five plastic cards and a few wads of hundred dollar bills out of the safe. He let out a low whistle. He knew Bloom had had enough money in case of an emergency, but nothing like this. "That's Valen for you."

"Shouldn't we be concerned? The first time he shows any of his powers, and he tries to kill his own father."

"Kill is a strong word."

"You weren't there."

He stuffed the cash and credit cards in the front pocket of the backpack. "Well what if you were fifteen and your mother suddenly showed up after Klaus disappeared? Would you be happy?"

"I wouldn't attack her."

Andy sighed. "Well what's going on now?"

"Musa took a look at the art gallery. No one's there, so they've taken Bloom somewhere. I was here playing guard, but Musa took Valen across the street to get him some food a few minutes ago."

"And Victoria?"

"She's with me. She's been…quiet."

"So she's shaken up too."

"Very. How about your end?"

"We should be gone in about fifteen minutes. What time is it?"

"Ten 'til eleven."

"That early? Feels more like two in the morning."

Roxy chuckled slightly, something that made his heart feel a little better. "Then Chris would be out cold." The light in her voice died off. "We're going to need a plan for Tori and Valen." Her voice was soft, as though she didn't want to be overheard.

Her husband sighed. "I know. If these guys are Earth-based…"

"The dimension would be the best place for them."

"And us. We don't know any more then they do. I think it'll be best if we all leave for a while."

"And Chris?"

"…Try to explain things to him, I guess. Maybe take him to a realm with not as much of a magical influence. The Resort Realm, maybe. But as for Tori and Valen…"

Andy knew what she was thinking. "Roxy…I know we're their legal guardians, but we won't be much use to them right now, and we have our own son to think about. Maybe in the circumstances we should –"

Andy cut off as a loud crash sounded from outside Bloom's bedroom window, accompanied by an alarm. He quickly and quietly stood and walked to the window, peering outside. "Shit."

"Andy?" Roxy asked urgently. "What's wrong?"

"Some idiot rear-ended my car. Damn."

The line started crackling. Andy froze. "Rox? Can you hear me?"

"How bad is the car?" he barely heard her.

He glanced back out of the blinds. "The entire back is crushed. I can't drive it."

"It's them." Roxy said in between static crunches. "Bloom has shields up on the house; they must be trying to break them. Get out of there Andy."

He took a deep breath, already moving through the house. He saw Chris standing at the front door downstairs, looking outside in interest. He snapped his fingers, getting his attention as he moved down the stairs. Andy motioned for him to head for the back door. "I'm leaving now. I'll head down the boardwalk and –"

"Don't tell me." She said. "Just get Chris and get out."

He bit his lip. He hated the tone in Roxy's voice. "I'm buying a new phone. Look out for my call; send it to voicemail, I'll text you and tell you its me. Then I'll call exactly three minutes later."

"Got it. Be safe; both of you."

"Yeah." There was another bang outside. "I love you Roxy."

"I love you." She replied.

They hung up.

* * *

><p>Baltor watched as Roxy stood at the other end of the lot, talking into her phone in hushed whispers. He wanted to throw up a long-range hearing spell (from Vallisto; those were the best), but considering their proximity to the gallery, and the way the left side of his face was throbbing, it seemed like a bad idea.<p>

"Are you alright?"

He glanced to his right, slightly surprised. Victoria hadn't spoken two words since Musa told her and her brother that he was their father (which _he_ was still trying to comprehend). She was sitting near him – close enough to engage in conversation but far enough away to be in her own thoughts. Her hair was frizzing with the humid air, and her eyes were luminous in the dark.

She really did look like him.

"Fine, Victoria. Just a little bruised."

She nodded, still staring intently at him. "…You can call me Tori if you want. Everyone else does."

"Do you prefer it?"

"I don't really have a preference. Tori just sounds…modern, you know?"

He nodded, a small smile on his face. "I suppose I'm just an old-fashioned person then."

"Hmm." She smiled a little too; the first positive reaction he'd gotten from her all night.

Baltor chuckled a little when he saw she wasn't turning away. "Do I have a decent scratch or something?"

She blushed. "I'm sorry. It's just…I've never seen someone who looks like me before."

Something in his chest twisted. It was a foreign feeling. "I can understand that. However, your brother seems a bit more…uninviting of the situation."

Tori chuckled. "He does that. Sorry about him."

"Don't apologize. You didn't do anything."

She nodded, lowering her head to look at the street. Her eyes were dancing, deep in thought. _Do I do that?_ Baltor wondered. Closing his own eyes, he reached out to her Dragon Fire connection. It was heavily confused. "You want to ask me something." He said aloud. Tori jerked her head up. "Go ahead."

She bit her lip, obviously surprised. "It's…nothing." He gave her a look. "Really."

"Victoria."

"It's just…Roxy said you didn't know about us." She look up at him through her hair, which was hanging down in front of her face. "Is that true?"

Baltor was taken back by the look in her eyes. It was so…hopeful. Wanting, almost begging for a connection of some kind. He hadn't seen anything like that – at least, not directed at him. He almost had trouble speaking; "I…I didn't. No."

The look vanished. "Oh."

"Not the answer you were looking for, huh?" When she didn't reply, he sighed. "What happened between Bloom and I was very…spontaneous. I guess you could say we weren't on the same side of the playing field. Our relationship shouldn't have happened."

"So we shouldn't have?"

_Great move Baltor. Tell your daughter who you've known for twenty minutes she's a mistake_. "No no, I didn't…" he trailed off, running a hand through his hair. "You need to understand; I'm as new to this as you are."

"Hmm," she nodded. "I can tell."

He leaned back on the curb. "I'm that obvious, huh?"

"In the sense of communicating," a small smile crossed her face; "Valen and I kind of are, too."

Baltor chuckled a little. "I'll make a deal with you; I'll try if you will. And once we get your mother back, we'll all discuss this. Because trust me, I have quite a few questions for her too."

"Another person to gang up on her with…this could be the start of something very memorable."

He laughed. "Yes. Quite possibly."

She nodded. "So…do you know anything about these Brotherhood of Redemption guys?"

He shook his head. "Never heard of them before in my life. Don't even know what they want."

Tori paused, her face set in concentration. "She said…the Darkened Flame."

Baltor quirked an eyebrow at her. "Who said?"

"This…woman. We had a recorded phone conversation of it, but Roxy made us ditch the phone we recorded it with. But the other woman we could hear wanted something called the Darkened Flame. She thought Mom would either have it, or tell them where to find you because _you_ apparently have it."

He rested his head on his hand. "Hmm…it's been a long time since I've met anyone who wanted that. Years – no, decades. A good friend of mine from one of the smaller planets around Zeinth."

"Why did he want it?"

"He was convinced that he'd found a way to change history as we knew it. Wouldn't tell me how, exactly, only that it was going to be incredible, a change for the better."

Tori raised an eyebrow. "Using _dark_ magic to make the world a better place?"

Baltor chuckled. "My thoughts exactly. I kept trying to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen to me. 'I've cracked it,' he kept saying. He was talking about genetic alga-rhythms, quantum teleportation…he said he was about to change everything; science, medicine, religion." He drummed his fingers on the cracked sidewalk, falling into silence.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his daughter's eyes widen slightly. "…Did you help him?"

"No. I told him he'd lost it and I left. Found out his wife filed for divorce a few days later, taking their daughter. I heard he wasn't the same after that. He went on an expedition into ShadowHaunt not long after…I never saw him again."

"Not a bad ghost story."

Baltor glanced back at Roxy, who had apparently ended her phone conversation and had been listening in on them. "A _ghost_ story would imply it being a legend. What I'm telling you are facts."

"How's Andy?" Tori asked.

"All right, I hope. But anyway…Tori, we were talking a for a little bit, and...I guess you could say we've come to a bit of a conclusion."

* * *

><p>It was mind control. It had to be. Or post-hypnotic suggestion. Or <em>something<em>. Bloom was sure of it as she sat on the floor of the room, her back against the wall and her head in her hands.

The moment Lia had disappeared, an air of fatigue had washed over her. At first it had seemed barely noticeable, but as the hours wore on it had become worse. She'd tried to use a spell to keep herself awake, but she'd found out there was an anti-magic shield on the place.

Bloom shook her head to clear the negative thoughts. Her bangs felt like icicles, single stands sticking to her cheeks. Her breath came out in a thick fog.

It defiantly hadn't been this cold before.

"You won't actually sleep."

The male voice surprised Bloom so much she actually screamed. The feeling of fatigue shot out of her system like lightning. Her eyes darted around, resting on a black outline of a figure floating above a block of ice.

…Floating?

It took her a minute to realize what she was seeing – it'd been so long. It was an inner spirit; those ghost-like reflections of people's true emotions. She hadn't seen very many since that whole fiasco with the two Mr. Boners and her mother's flower shop. And this was the first time one of them had actually talked to her. "Wh…what do you mean?" she finally asked.

"If Lia and the Brotherhood really need you for something, they'll keep you awake. This will more than likely just be a way to break you down so you'll give them what they want."

Bloom huffed in annoyance. "I wish her the best of luck. When she looked me up, she didn't seem to find I'm stubborn as hell. And the same goes for my kids."

"Ah, the strength of a young mother. Lia is in for a wild ride."

Despite the odds, a small smile appeared on her face. "I'm Bloom. What's your name?"

The man sighed. "Doesn't really matter anymore. Half the days I don't even remember, it's been so long."

"How long _have_ you been here?"

"The better part of ten years."

Bloom's jaw dropped. "Why?"

His head swerved around – three hundred and sixty degrees, actually, as though making sure no one else was around to hear them. "Well…ever hear of Lord Darkar?"

The redhead huffed. "Unfortunately. I never really got off on the right foot with the guy…or whatever the heck that metal hunk was where his foot should've been."

"Hmph," he chuckled. "I'd be a little more careful. Miss Lia is the man's daughter."

There was a small shock that jolted through her. "Darkar had a daughter?"

"Yes. And she was none to happy to hear of her father's death. It's not clear what happened after that, but as the people of Earth say; 'it all went downhill from there.' I was the attorney for his wife when she filed for divorce. Lia was not happy with me for aiding to the end of her parent's relationship."

Bloom banged her head against the wall. "That explains why she hates me. But it still doesn't explain what she wants Baltor's dark Dragon Fire for. You need dark and light to open Relix, and she already has the dark down…"

"Baltor? You mean to tell me that man's _still_ involved in this?"

That comment caused another bit of surprise to shoot through Bloom. "Baltor _knew_ Lord Darkar?"

"Before he was Lord Darkar. Apparently when he showed an interest in the dark arts, Baltor backed out. At least, that was the story."

Bloom sighed. "That still doesn't help me. Was Lia involved in anything else? Has she ever been arrested, are there files on her…"

The figure again looked around the room. "The rumor says she had a brief encounter with three witches. But they were sent to Omega, last I heard."

There was a dull pounding starting up in the back of Bloom's head. She wished she had some aspirin with her. "The Trix. I knew they had to be involved in this. What with the attack of the schools, and Darkar's connection…" she trailed off, looking around the freezer again. "I need to get out of here."

The man gave a small, nervous chuckle, and Bloom's head swerved to him. "You said you'd been here ten years. You must know a way out of here."

His look became uncertain. "Please," Bloom begged. "If I can find what I need, I can help fix this. I can set you free."

The man stared at her for a long time. Bloom thought he'd started to fade away, but a moment later he spoke. "There's no surveillance in here. It's all automated. And with the shield, they can't keep track of you with a magic signal. Those ventilation shafts lead you outside the building if you keep going straight."

Bloom let out a deep breath. It was still foggy. "Thank you."

He chuckled. "Thank me when you're free."

With that, he truly faded away, until Bloom was alone again.

* * *

><p>"I've never seen anyone throw a punch like that."<p>

Valen shrugged, swirling the straw in his frozen strawberry-lemonade. "I was on the boxing team this year."

He and Musa were sitting in McDonalds, facing each other in a small booth with a window that allowed them to see across the street. Tori, Roxy and his father were just shadowy figures standing near a streetlight.

His father.

Valen sighed, leaning his head back on the booth. "I shouldn't have hit him."

Musa glanced up at him. She had a phone out in her hand, though it was more modern than anything he'd ever seen. She appeared to be texting. "If you want my opinion, the guy deserved it."

There was a pause. "Is he really that bad?"

"I…suppose it depends on who you ask. Me; I could spend three or four hours telling you all the crap he's done. But ask someone else, they might be a little more…forgiving."

"You mean my mother." Valen said, his tone flat. "You think she's crazy."

Musa chuckled. "Kid, I've thought Bloom was crazy for a long time. But," she continued when she saw his unconvinced look; "Yeah, I'm a little skeptical of this whole situation."

The boy took another sip of his drink. "Skeptical as in this is all a big plot on Baltor's part, or skeptical as in my sister and I are his children?"

"No, you're his children. No doubt. But your first suggestion…can't help but say I'm curious."

A chime sounded, and Musa sighed in annoyance, reaching into a pocket of her dress. Valen was fairly surprised when she pulled out his mother's cell phone. "For the love of Magix, I will throw this thing in the engine of a hovercraft if it'll just shut off."

Valen chuckled, holding out his hand. "Mom never upgraded her phone. Here, I can turn it off."

"My hero," Musa replied lightly, handing the device over.

Valen glanced down at the screen of the old first generation iPhone. There were 5 texts waiting in Bloom's inbox, from a number he recognized.

_Hi Bloom, it's Ali. Tori and V's phone's aren't wrking, and we go back on in 10. Could you ring them? Thanks!_

_Miss H? Did they pick up? The guy running the show is getting impatient._

_Hello? Are you guys ok? Still nthing. 2nd set was cancelled._

_Someone please call me or Jason. We're really worried._

_Just got done talking w/ a rep from here. T & V were swarmed when they left the area; T broke her ankle, didn't say what happened w/ Valen. Need you down here to sing release papers. Thanks, Miss Holloway._

Valen stared at the last message for a few seconds. "What?"

"What?" Musa asked.

"Ali…apparently someone told her we were injured and they needed Mom's consent to release us from Disney."

"It was probably another ploy from the guys who took her."

"But that's _Ali's_ number." He chewed his lip before clicking on the dial button next to the number. "Maybe I should see…"

The phone suddenly felt red hot, and Valen dropped it from his hands. It fizzed and sparked before lifting up and clunking into his drink with a high-pitched whine. He looked at it for a moment, and then glared at Musa. "What the hell?"

"Are you nuts? You can't call her; what if she's a part of this?"

Valen stared at her. "Ali? You're joking, right? She's from Earth; no magic whatsoever. And plus she doesn't fit the 'evil lady who'll kill you in your sleep' motif. Unless she really doesn't suck at baking and was just trying to poison us after all these years."

Musa shrugged, clearly annoyed. "I'm just looking at all the possibilities. And there are some very strong poisons in the world." She added, almost as an afterthought.

Thinking of his band mate and crush of two years with devil horns, a tail, black eyes, and holding a sheet of steaming cookies, Valen shuddered. "And I'm sure she's a ninja, too."

The older woman huffed, and Valen was barely aware that he was pushing her buttons. "Look, I'm sorry I insulted you're girlfriend."

"Good." He said without thinking – it wasn't like she was there to slap him for it anyway (Alison was _not_ afraid of fights). "So just forget it."

"I will."

"Fine."

"So what do you want to talk about?"

"Who's Sky of Eraklyon?"

Musa nearly spat out her drink. Valen couldn't help but smirk. _Jackpot._

"How," she managed to ask between coughing fits, "do you know about Sky?"

"Baltor mentioned him. Though he didn't mention _much_. So I was kind of hoping you could fill in the details for me."

He watched as Musa finally swallowed her drink, a few fingers messing with her hair. "Well –"

"There you guys are," a voice interrupted. "Geez, way to pick a secluded spot."

Valen rolled his eyes, but still moved over to let his sister into the booth next to him. "Baltor and Roxy are outside," Tori added, reaching over and grabbing his lemonade. She took a sip of it, made a face, and pushed it away. "That's crap."

"It's sugar," he shot back. "And I need it right now."

"I hear you," Musa added, apparently grateful for the distraction. "Did Roxy work out a place for everybody to crash tonight?"

Slowly, Tori nodded. "A woman called Flora. She knew Mom?"

Valen watched an almost sorrowful smile spread across her face. "Flo…gosh, I haven't talked to her face to face in years."

Tori and Valen exchanged a glance. "Well," Tori hesitantly continued, "apparently she and her husband have this estate that they inherited from a relative, and once she heard about everything…"

"That's Flora." The woman stopped for a second, then raised a critical eye. "Wait…what about Baltor?"

Valen saw a sheepish look spread across his sister's face. "He's…coming with us. Roxy talked to Andy, and they think it might be a good idea for us to bond a little. Plus they're planning to take Chris to some other place so they can explain things to him too."

Musa rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything.

"It's not like it'll be forever," Tori continued, watching Musa's face change. "But until we get some answers, wouldn't it be logical to have a _biological _parent with us?"

"Not if you already have your legal guardian with you," Valen heard Musa mutter. She cleared her throat and spoke louder; "Will Roxy and Andy be with you guys at least for tonight?"

Tori nodded, a look of hope flickering across her face.

The older woman sighed. "Then I suppose it'll be ok. But I want one of you to call me in the morning to tell me you're alright."

Valen gave her a toothy smile. "Afraid Daddy dearest is going to take over the free world?"

Musa huffed, but her eyes showed uncertainty. "It wouldn't be the first time."

* * *

><p><strong>Hmm, a bit suspicious, isn't it? Like I said, the next chapter will be out much faster than this one. I hope you'll take some time and tell me what you think. Thanks guys!<strong>


	6. Take My Hand

As much as Tori wanted to be mad at Musa for not accompanying them to Limphea, she also couldn't blame her. There was an obvious resentment between her and Baltor – though Tori didn't exactly know why. She was just grateful that Flora didn't try to rip his head off when arrived at her house (by another transport spell, though this one wasn't nearly as nauseating as the first). Because of a time change, it was the middle of the morning when they got there. Despite this, everyone got a room and Tori crashed within the first five minutes of her head hitting the pillow.

When she woke up again, it was dark outside, and her suitcase was propped up near the door. As much as Tori wanted to question how, she knew the answer would probably make her head spin. She slung it onto the bed and hesitantly opened it up. Inside she found an array of band t-shirts, jeans, her favorite clip-in hair streaks (in purple, blue, red, and pink), and basic necessities. She grabbed her favorite leather jacket and took a huge whiff of it.

It still smelled like the beach.

After a long hot shower, she threw on a loose grey, silver-studded shirt, a pair of black pants that looked like leather, and clipped in a few pink strands. As she threw on some mascara, she could hear her mother scolding her in the back of her head, telling her she wasn't some goth chick and she shouldn't dress like one. That she would give people a bad impression.

_You were good at false impressions, weren't you Mom?_

Tori caught herself. How could she think like that? Her mother had been kidnapped, was possibly being tortured, and all she could think about was how bad _she_ was feeling.

She sighed at her reflection, putting down the purple eye shadow she was going to wear. "Pessimist at heart." She muttered under her breath. "I wonder when _that_ will come back to bite me."

She grabbed a pair of shoes and left the room, wandering around a number of elaborate hallways and stairwells until she found a kitchen worthy to be on the Food Network channel. There were stainless steel appliances, sleek black countertops, and beautiful wood carvings. But maybe the oddest thing – in Tori's opinion anyway – was the blue bird resting in a cage above the island counter. It peered at her with brown eyes as she stepped into the room.

Tori's tilted her head to the side, and the bird did the same. "Hello." She said cautiously.

The bird's head tilted the other way. "Hello." It repeated in a high, slightly scratchy voice.

Her eyes widened a little. Outside of the movies, she'd never seen a talking bird. "What's your name?"

"Pretty birdie. Pretty birdie."

Tori's lips quirked. "Yes, you are a pretty birdie. But does pretty birdie have a name?"

"Pretty birdie! Pretty birdie!" It repeated. After a moment his head straightened. "Want some coffee? Second drawer to the right near the sink."

"…Really?"

"Yeah, seriously."

Shaking her head, she followed the birds instructions and found the right drawer near the sink. However, when she opened it, Tori found it was full of kitchen utensils. She turned back to the bird, and saw it was chuckling. "Did I just get played by a parrot?"

"He's a macaw, actually."

The unfamiliar voice made Tori jump a mile in the air. Turning toward the entrance to the kitchen, she saw a boy leaning against one of the walls, carrying a large bag with some Chinese writing on it.

"Somebody's heart stopped." The macaw squawked.

Tori agreed.

The boy look to be around her age, maybe a few years older. He had jet black hair with a green stripe in it, and grey eyes. He had on a black button-up shirt and jeans, and Tori noticed a toe ring on his right foot. When he grinned at her, she was ashamed to say she almost swooned. "Uh…hi."

"Hi," he grinned, stepping forward and putting the bag on the counter. Tori could smell Chinese food. "Do I know you?"

"Uh…I'm Victoria - Tori. My brother and I are…staying here. We came…last night."

"Ah, you're Bloom's kids, right?"

She nodded. "And, you are?"

He hopped up onto the counter, his bare feet dangling off the ground as he reached into the bag. "Well I don't look much like a sushi delivery boy, do I? I live here; my name's March. Flora and Helia are my parents."

Tori raised an eyebrow. "So…I'm on a planet that's all about nature, and your name's March? What, did you win 'most ironic name of the year' in grade school?"

He chuckled. "If you're really that interested, I'm adopted. That was the name on file for me, and Flo and Helia didn't want to change it."

Adopted. Right. Tori thought she heard Musa talking about that with Roxy on their way here, but she'd been too tired to pay attention. She was snapped out of her thoughts as March offered her a container with the restaurant symbol on it. "You want some? Fried rice."

She took the container; she hadn't eaten since before the show at Disney. It seemed like it happened years ago, before her life spun out of control. She grabbed some chopsticks out of the bag. "So…" she said slowly, watching as he popped a piece of chicken into his mouth. "Do you go to school here?"

"If by 'here' you mean 'on this planet' then yes. I'm homeschooled mostly, and I've got weekly classes that are off planet, in Magix." He paused, watching as she took a large bite of the rice. "I take it you went to mundane school?"

Tori nodded. "I just got out on Friday…god, this food is good."

"You must be hungry, being asleep for so long."

"Yeah…" she trailed off, looking around the room. "Do you know if my brother's up? Or Baltor?"

"One of them," a voice spoke up. Tori and March turned and watched as Valen entered the kitchen, dressed in dark jeans and a grey shirt. His hair hung in wet limbs around his face, a few drops of water dripping onto his shoulders. His eyes fell to the other boy. "Mind if I steal some food?"

He peered into the bag. "I've got spicy noodles or egg drop soup."

"Soup, if you'd be so kind."

"No problem," he said, snapping his fingers. A moment later, a drawer opened and a spoon flew out, floating across the room and landing in March's hand. He grabbed the container out of the bag and held them both out to Valen. "Here. Oh, and I'm March. I don't believe we've been properly introduced."

Valen stared at him for a moment, as though he were still dazed with sleep. "You all are nuts," he muttered, taking the soup out of his hands. "I'm Valen."

"No nuts at the party! No nuts at the party!" the bird squawked from his cage above. "The noble will die for what is right!"

Valen stared at him for a moment. "Don't tell me; he quotes CSI too?"

March raised an eyebrow. "CSI?"

"Wow you people are deprived," Tori heard him mutter as he walked over to her and kissed the top of her head. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug, which was slightly difficult since she was sitting on a bar stool. "Morning."

"Evening, actually," Tori corrected. "You holding up?"

"As well as I can. You?"

"I've been better, that's for sure."

From the other side of the counter, March regarded them with slight curiosity. "You two sure don't look like twins."

"We're fraternal." Valen said, taking a sip of the soup. "What about you? Siblings?"

"None. Though since my mother and Layla spend so much time together, her daughter is like my little sister." When he saw a lack of response on their faces, March leaned his head to the side. "Lalya? Queen Layla of Tides? Did anyone tell you anything?"

"Apparently not."

"Well someone should." He paused for a moment, as though thinking. "There's a huge festival in Magix right now. Maybe we should go there to talk. Plus it could give you a chance to get a real taste of the magical dimension."

Valen rolled his eyes. "Oh great idea. It's the middle of the night and there are physco's after us. Let's go to the biggest city in the dimension and not tell anyone."

March gave Tori a look, a silent 'is he like this all the time?' She shrugged apologetically, and he turned back to Valen. "Chill man. I meant go ask my parents. Maybe Baltor could even come with us. I'd be interested to see if anyone would recognize him."

"Isn't it late?"

He shook his head. "It's eleven, but Magix is three hours behind us. Come on, it'd be an adventure. Plus maybe we'd find some stuff about your Mom."

Tori and Valen exchanged a glance. "I guess if someone went with us," Valen said slowly.

"Maybe Baltor. He said he knew a lot about the libraries in Magix; maybe we could find something there to help us."

March grinned. "Perfect. I'll go ask."

"Wait." Valen said after a moment. March turned back and regarded him curiously. "What's the big deal about Baltor?"

March chuckled. "He only tried to enslave the entire magical dimension, causing billions of dollars in damage in the process."

* * *

><p>"Would you like a handmade necklace, ma'am? Made from the finest crystals found on the edges of the Golden Kingdom?"<p>

Bloom smiled politely. "No, thank you." She said to the man behind the booth, and turned to walk on.

She didn't ever get the name of the inner spirit she'd spoken with while in the hands of the Brotherhood of Redemption, but his words had proven true. After about a half hour of working her way through air vents, she'd found herself in a back alley in – of all places – Lower Manhattan. She'd then bought a subway ticket (ok, she overshadowed the man at the counter to give her a ticket, but it was an emergency), ridden to the other end of the island, and teleported to Magix.

One wardrobe change and magic-boosted cappuccino later (they had been a lifesaver for all-night cram sessions for Wizgiz's class), she was walking the streets of Magix during the annual founding festival, dressed in a red and blue plaid shirt with ripped jeans and a pair of sneakers. She'd put temporary dye in her hair so it was brown, and it was in a loose bun on the top of her head, secured with chopsticks.

As Bloom caught her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help be a little proud of herself. She didn't seem recognizable, and she didn't look like a train wreck in her early thirties who'd been without sleep for two days.

As she worked her way through the crowd, she tried to find anyone she possibly knew. It was a long shot, but her friends were usually big on the Magix festival. Bloom had already made up her mind that if she didn't find anyone within the next hour, she was heading to the Magix Council. Normally she would've gone to one of the schools, but since the damage they'd sustained from (at least Bloom thought) the Brotherhood of Redemption, school had been called out of session for repairs on the buildings.

_They think Magix might be the next target._

Bloom shivered and wrapped her arms around herself as a breeze blew through the street. She really hoped Musa was wrong about that.

* * *

><p>"So, what's the verdict on Magix?"<p>

Tori stared up at the flying cars merging into one single-file line, apparently for parking. It was a wonder she could see them, being partially blinded by the lights from the large skyscrapers that framed Magix. "Whoa."

"It's like New York," Valen said, more to himself.

Baltor nodded from behind them. The twins were a bit curious as to why he'd put a disguise spell on himself (and were even more curious as to whether or not there really _was_ a disguise spell. I mean, they could still see him perfectly.). "A lot of Magix newer buildings were modeled after it. If there's one thing Earth can do, it's architecture."

"That's why the two buildings back there looked like the Twin Towers," Tori said quietly.

March's father – Helia was his name, nodded. "We're fortunate not to have problems like that here. It's mainly…other issues we have to deal with."

"A sweetened way of saying me?" Baltor questioned. He looked Helia in the eyes, only to have the black-haired man turn away. Tori could tell there was something about her father Helia didn't like very much, though she didn't know what.

"There are much bigger problems," Flora insisted. Despite her still small size, she wasn't afraid to take on Baltor. "There's the fault line under Magix, and the robberies that sometimes occur. Every problem doesn't occur thanks to a power-mad convict."

Before Valen could even snicker, the ground beneath them shook violently, knocking everyone off balance. People started screaming, and a moment later another tremor hit.

Baltor rolled his eyes. "They don't _include_ a convict, but bad things always seem to happen when one comes around."

"It's an earthquake," March said, watching one of the food stands fall over.

"No shit, Sherlock," Tori snapped. She turned to Valen; "Do you remember anything about earthquake drills in school?"

"I slept through them all, you know that!"

"Hey relax," March said, glancing around. "It's just a little earthquake. They happen all the time."

Somewhere in the distance, gunshots fired.

Tori glared at March, who shrugged and tried to remain standing in the violent shakes. "Ok, so this doesn't usually happen."

"It must be the same people who attacked the schools!" Flora yelled over the noise.

"And why do I have the sinking feeling they're the guys after us too?"

"Because your IQ is higher than a rock?" Valen muttered. Another shot fired, closer this time. "We have to do something!"

"I'll go," March said, starting forward. "Alec and the other guys were supposed to be here, and you know they never miss a fight." He turned to Flora and Helia, a smirk on his face. "I'm sure some of the other fairies are here too. We can at least help bystanders."

They exchanged a glance, and Helia nodded. "Be careful, and you guys call. If you find Alec, tell him to phone Eraklyon and get the Guard out here if he hasn't."

"I'm going with you," Tori insisted.

"Like hell you are." Baltor snapped. "You have no powers and they'll shoot you down. Flora, I'm sure you phoned Musa and she's on a rooftop somewhere stalking me. Tell her to get down and start fighting whatever the hell this is. Helia, Red Fountain has a weapons storage around here, doesn't it?"

"How would you know –"

"Long story," he cut off. "Get there, and put that pathetic training to good use. Tori, you and your brother are coming with me to the Council Library in Magix Square. We can get help, and hopefully more information."

"Tori can go, but I'm with March," Valen said, stepping forward with the other boy. "I've taken wrestling for three years and I've taken first aid courses. I can help people."

"Not here. This is the big leagues, not some stupid little Earth riot. You're not capable."

Valen's eyes narrowed. "Hey, no offense _Daddy_, but I think I know myself a little better than you. And I'd rather make sure people are safe instead of being a coward like you." There were more shots and rumbling, and before anyone could speak Valen and March disappeared into the crowds.

Baltor glared at him. "At least have the brains to watch each other's backs!" he yelled. With an irritable growl, he grabbed Tori's hand and the two started running with the crowds. Tori glanced up at Baltor – she hated how short she was compared to him, and was surprised to find a different emotion dancing in his eyes. She glanced down at his hand curled around her wrist, and on an automatic impulse, twisted her fingers and interlocked her hand with his.

A surge of emotions shot through her, and with a gasp they both pulled their hands away. Baltor practically gaped at Tori, who was now grinning. "You're proud of his attitude," she said. "Valen reminds you of you when you were a teenager."

He sighed. "You just can't go reading people's minds like that. At the very least, you need to be discrete about it. Apparently that's something I'll have to teach you."

"So now I remind you of yourself too?"

Baltor laughed and started pulling her along again. "Child, why do I get the feeling you're going to be a pain in my side?"

"Because I very well might be. But thankfully you'll learn to love me so unconditionally you won't care."

Her father rolled his eyes, and just as they were making their way back to her he caught sight of something. "Duck!" he yelled, pushing Tori down before she had a chance to argue. Bullets flew over their heads, accompanied with more screams.

"This is definitely not random," Tori breathed. "Who are they after?"

"With any luck? Us." He blew a piece of hair out of his eyes. "Keep low to the ground, keep running, and do _not_ let go of my hand." Tori nodded, and they were off again. People were running and screaming, and a few random bystanders were throwing up what looked like energy shields. Fairies and wizards, apparently. When a shot came particularly close to them, Tori glanced up and automatically shot out her hand. Fire leapt from her fingertips and struck the floating shape in the sky. It yelled, and dropped the gun to the ground.

From next to her, Baltor let out a triumphant laugh. "Ha! Who said you didn't have magic?" He grinned at her, and something about it made Tori smile in response. But he wasn't focusing on the path ahead….

Her father plowed into a woman who was cutting across the masses of people. All three of them tumbled over in a heap, taking a few other civilians with them. Most just avoided them and kept running. Tori found herself on top of the woman, her head in her shoulder. She was about to apologize, when she felt something oddly familiar. Her head fit perfectly into the woman's shoulder, and she smelled oddly like salt water and acrylic paint.

"Mom?" Tori forced her head up and stared down at the woman. Her hair was brown and her clothes looked nothing like what her mother would wear – they were tight and showed off her curves, which only happened when she was in a bathing suit. But her face was familiar, and when her eyes snapped open, Tori didn't have a doubt it was Bloom.

"Oh Mom!" Tori crashed back down and gave her mother a tight hug, trying to conceal the tears stinging at the back of her eyes. "You're ok! I was so worried…"

After a few seconds, Bloom sat the two of them up, wrapping her arms around her daughter and hugging her fiercely. "Thank God Victoria…I was so worried you and your brother wouldn't be alright…hold on," Bloom pushed Tori back to look her in the eyes. "Where _is_ Valen? And how did you get here? And what the _hell_ are you wearing?"

"You know, as touching as this reunion is, I think there are worse things to worry about."

Tori's eyes widened, and Bloom's jaw dropped. They both turned to look at Baltor, who was standing and dusting dirt off of his jacket. Bloom must've been able to see past his illusion spell; maybe it had to do with their power? Tori wasn't quite sure.

After a moment, she was surprised to find her mother straighten up and pull herself and Tori to their feet. She grabbed her daughter's wrist in one hand and her former lover's in the other, and together the three started running again. She maneuvered Tori so she was at the center of them, just in case they started attacking from the sides. "What's the plan?" Bloom yelled to Baltor, her voice slightly uneven.

"Council Library. Find out about the Brotherhood, call for backup, and find a decent cloaking spell. Your son is currently with Flora's ill-named child fighting with what I hope is common sense and a Phantom Blade. Especially since I've heard he's also _my_ child?"

"March is a perfectly good name," she insisted.

"You're not answering my question, Bloom."

The redhead woman sighed irritably, jerking a finger at Tori. "Look at her; is there any way she's _not_ yours?"

"When the hell did it occur?"

"Dragon Fire essence."

Baltor let out a bark of laughter, which sounded odd since he was partially out breath. "You're bloody joking, right? That wasn't even _us_! Our essences were in the center of my body, and we were supposedly fighting to the death!"

"Well maybe since it was our very being, what we did in there was significant! And what's with the 'bloody joking'? Are you British now?"

"Living in London for fifteen years. I didn't really have anywhere else to turn to!"

"Hold on…wasn't the British Library robbed a few years back of almost half of its ancient literature?" When there was no response, she groaned. "You _moron_! Really? How are you not in jail?"

"Not that this isn't fun," Tori cut in, her breath short and her face annoyed, "but you two _are_ magical creatures, are you not? If Mom's got wings and my father's a sorcerer, _why the hell are we running_!"

There was a momentary pause. "Excellent point." Baltor finally spoke. "Hang on, ladies!"

With that, they vanished.

* * *

><p>"Valen, take this girl over to the side. A bullet grazed her."<p>

Nodding, Valen reached over and grabbed the young girl March was carrying out of his arms. She was visibly shaken, and her arm was letting out a pretty decent amount of blood, running in streams down her arm. "Hey, you're going to be fine," he whispered, to her. She managed a weak smile, which was a bit of a comfort since she was white as a sheet.

"Back here Valen!"

After making sure the area was clear, he fell back into a nearby alleyway. One of the younger Specialists – he learned that's what the students from Red Fountain called themselves, held open a door on the side of the building. It was camouflaged to match the brickwork on the wall. Apparently it was a secret bunker that Red Fountain had in case of emergencies. He moved through fast into the makeshift hospital in the main hallway. Valen came through and set the girl down on an open bed – it was already getting crammed in small space.

On the other side, a blond haired, blue-eyed boy looked up from a first aid kit. "Yikes."

"Tell me about it. Pass the antiseptic, Alec." Valen had only had a brief chat with the boy. He was his age, attended Red Fountain (which Valen could've easily deduced by the ridiculous jumpsuit the boys were wearing), and he was from Eraklyon. Apparently he'd contacted his father about sending some of the planet guards to Magix. Valen deduced he must be the son of a general or some other official.

March suddenly appeared near them, his brow wet with sweat. He carried three water bottles, and handed one to March and one to Alec. "It's hell out there," he muttered.

"What're they after?" Alec asked as he got to work bandaging the little girl. Valen applied the antiseptic to the smaller cuts on her body. The girl was unconscious for the most part, though she did shiver as the medicine made contact with her skin. Alec took out a few patches and stuck them on her arms and legs. They were more than likely for tracking life signs.

"Who knows," March muttered. "But whatever is it, they aren't finding it. Has anyone seen Lana or the girls?"

Alec shook his head. "I thought she was on Solaria with Stella's youngest daughter. What's her name?"

"Who cares," March said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Hey V, what's the name of these guys again?"

"The Brotherhood of Redemption if I'm not mistaken."

Alec and March exchanged a glance. "An Ancestral Witch copycat cult?" the blond questioned.

"I don't think so. There's not much background information on them, just that their leader is some smoking hot blond."

Alec and Valen snickered. "Only you would think of appearance in a time like this," he muttered.

March took a gulp of water. "Sue me! I haven't had a girlfriend in over a year."

"You're sixteen. It's unlikely you'll find your soul mate."

"Unless I follow in my mother's footsteps. And you could follow in your father's, but you'd just end up _burned_!"

Valen glanced between them. "What happened?"

It suddenly became quiet. March looked uncomfortable, like a little kid who'd just said something he knew he shouldn't have. And Alec was now putting way too much focus on the bandages. Valen kept staring at him until he was practically squirming under his gaze. Suddenly, he gripped the side of his neck and dropped the gauze he'd been holding. "You did, alright? Now stop before you put a hole in my neck!"

"Huh?" slightly surprised, his gaze automatically shifted to the wall. Once there, it was almost like something clicked off in his head. When he turned back, Alex was waving at his neck. When his hand moved, Valen saw a decent burn mark. His jaw dropped. "Did…did I do that?"

"Duh. That's kind of the meaning behind Dragon _Fire_."

"B-but…I've never had powers before."

March shrugged, obviously more sympathetic for his new friend than his old one. "Maybe being in a magic environment triggered them. Or maybe you've been using them in subtle ways. Like…do people usually do what you say?"

Valen thought about this for a moment. At first it didn't seem like it, but the more he thought about it the more he realized people _did_ agree with him. When he asked the coach on the wrestling team for more time in, he'd gotten it. When he'd argue grades with his teachers, they almost always agreed. And that feeling when he was on stage…when it felt like the crowd was in the palm of his hands, and the _rush_ he got from that.

Alec's dark chuckle brought him back to reality. "Is that a yes?" before he could respond he was laughing again. "One of Baltor's greatest powers was being able to overshadow people. Maybe you did that without even knowing it."

"Yeah, but what would that have to do with your father?"

Alec turned pale. "Well –"

March rolled his eyes. "What he's trying to say is that his father and your mother were married a long time ago, but she cheated him with Baltor and fifteen years later here we are."

"So…you think Baltor overshadowed my mother, and that's why I exist?"

"Of course not –"

"In a sense, yes."

"March!"

"What? I can't be honest with the kid? Besides, it's better than saying Bloom's a whore."

"Watch it," Valen said lowly. "She provided us on her own, wither my father's a convict or general."

"King."

Valen turned to Alec. "What?"

"My – possibly our – father is the King of Eraklyon. You're either the son of a convict or a king. But considering Bloom's royal status, you're a prince no matter what."

"Whoa, slow up Alec. I think he's still processing the king thing."

"I'm fine." Valen snapped, though he had to admit March was right. His mother…his red-haired mother who wore paint-splattered overalls in the spring and worked part-time in a diner when he was six, ruling over a _planet_? Hell, she'd barely been able to run the kitchen in her own home. And him as a _prince_? This had to be a mistake.

There was a loud commotion from the other room, and all three boys turned and saw some official-looking military men walk in, dressed in blue coats. "Let me guess," Valen said dully, "the Eraklyon Guard?"

"On the nose. Come on; let's go find Dad. Maybe he can help track down your sister and mother."

March and Alec got up and started moving, but Valen didn't follow. "I don't know guys. If what you just said is true…"

"Don't worry," March insisted, grabbing him by the arm. "Once he hears Bloom's in trouble, you'll be at the end of his hit list."

"But will my fath…_Baltor_, be first?"

Alec laughed again. "More like March's 'smoking hot blond'."

* * *

><p>"Hey! How did you get in here?"<p>

It seemed as though Tori had only blinked, and suddenly she was off a bustling street and in the middle of a grand hallway. Her boots clacked against the marble floor.

"I'm talking to you!"

Tori turned to look at the guard who was approaching, his face a mixture of surprise and anger. She side-glance her mother, who looked a bit annoyed. Bloom opened her mouth to speak –

"That will be _quite_ enough out of you." The next second, the guard's face went blank, and when he blinked his eyes were completely white. Tori yelped and took a few steps back, almost plowing into Bloom. "Mom, did you…"

"No, I didn't." Bloom turned and glared at Baltor, who was smirking and twirling a small ball of magic around his finger. "_What_ is your problem? He had every right to ask us why we suddenly burst into this place when there's a riot going on outside. That may be how _you_ handle these things, but what are we going to do when we have to snap him out of it?"

Baltor's eyes narrowed at her. Slowly, he walked toward her, taking carefully calculated steps until he was a mere foot in front of her, staring down into her eyes. "And how exactly do I handle things, Bloom? Terribly? Because I think I just got you and our daughter to safety."

Tori saw Bloom shiver at the word 'our', but her mother still held her ground. She was visibly tired – both of them were, but that only seemed to increase their ability to duel with words. The young girl briefly wondered how they'd ever managed to have a relationship, since all she'd seen was their ability to yell at each other.

"You don't _mean_ to handle things terribly. But your quick judgment and thinking you have every ounce of the Great Dragon's fire in your palm has landed you in some pretty bad situations."

He sighed, looking back at the hypnotized guard, then at Tori, and then back at her. "First of all," he began, and grabbed Bloom, pulled her against him, and kissed her fiercely.

Tori's jaw dropped. She'd seen her mother give Andy a peck on the cheek now and this, but she'd never seen anybody full on _make-out with her mother._ Bloom seemed equally shocked, but a mere moment later shut her eyes and wound her hands around his neck.

After who knows how long, Baltor finally pulled back, inhaling deeply. "…Now then," he said, shaking what looked like a dazed expression from his eyes. "The Brotherhood?" With that he turned and started walking towards the main library, disappearing around the corner.

Tori watched as her mother seem to finally awaken from the kiss. She blinked rapidly, an odd look on her face. "Um…Mom?" she turned to look at her. "Don't take this the wrong way…but what's his problem?"

Bloom laughed. "A lot of things." She put her arm around her daughter. "Come on; he's probably ripped though half the library by now."

It was true. As Tori and her mother walked into the main room in the library, there were already books flying off of shelves and opening themselves up to particular pages. Baltor sat on a chair near the center of the room, his legs thrown over the arm. A book would float in front of him, and he'd either shoo it away or snap his fingers so it'd fall to the ground. Bloom took a deep breath, then stepped forward and took one of the books off the ground. "That was fast."

"Hardly," he replied, his voice trying to hard to be nonchalant. "There's no information on this group. Are you sure they were after me?"

"Considering someone told me the leader of it was Lord Darkar's daughter and she's hated you since you turned your back on her? Yes, I'm pretty sure."

Baltor blinked. "Lia? _She's _leading this Brotherhood of Redemption?"

"Yep. And the rumor was just before she cracked, she talked to Icy."

Tori glanced between them. "Icy? What kind of name is that?"

Despite everything, her parents laughed. "Despite the name," Baltor said, "Icy is not a woman to mess with. Perhaps we should talk to her about this…"

There was a loud crash from the entrance of the library. The sound of guns were suddenly much more prominent, and people were screaming.

Tori looked toward the hallway, her blood running cold. "What was that?"

Baltor stood up, brushing dust off his jacket. "Nothing good. How on earth could anyone track us that fast?"

"It's called a GPS placed under your skin."

The cold, feminine voice came from the balcony above the main library. Tori's head snapped in the direction of the voice, and she found herself staring at a blond woman in black, a smirk on her face. Someone was moving about in the shadows behind her, though it looked like he or she was only grabbing books.

Lia leaned against the railing, her bangs covering an eye. "Really Bloom, did you think we were stupid?" She snapped her fingers, and suddenly there was a beeping noise. Bloom glanced down and saw a flashing red light on the back of her hand – the tracker, presumably. "I should thank you though," Lia continued, "Without your help, I never would have found him again." She leaned her head to the side. "Hello Baltor."

Tori glanced back at her father, who was standing his ground with his arms crossed. "The years have been kind," he finally said. His voice was smooth as glass and as cold as ice. "What are now; twenty-five, twenty-six? A little young to be running a cult, wouldn't you say dear?"

"I don't have any parents to tell me otherwise; thanks for that." She said, pointedly looking at Bloom.

She rolled her eyes. "Look, we don't want to fight you. Just tell us what you want."

"Aww, come on Bloom, didn't you pay attention?" Before anything else could be said, Lia reached out her hand and sent a swirling beam of dark magic out toward Baltor.

Despite the years, his reflexes were still fast. With a wind spell he propelled off the ground and back flipped, landing a few feet from the blast. "Find cover!" he yelled, and ran toward the bookcases.

Lia growled and jumped off the balcony, landing perfectly on a table. She glanced back at the two girls, and then took off towards the labyrinth of bookcases Baltor had gone into.

Tori glanced at her mother. "Should we listen?"

"If he's on the run? Absolutely not. Baltor's still rusty, and if any fire starts here the Magix Council is directly alerted, and those are the last people who should know he's alive."

"Then…do we go find Musa or somebody?"

"It'll take too long. I'm going to teach that skinny bitch some manners even if I have to shove her brain into an etiquette book."

"Lovely," Tori muttered.

"Go find your brother. Meet me at Alfea's gate in twenty minutes, and if I'm not there send help. Ask for Faragonda!"

"What about Baltor?" she yelled after Bloom as she started running.

"If Lia doesn't beat him to a pulp I will! Now go and stay safe!"

Tori watched her disappear. There was a bang from upstairs, and she tilted her head to see that person still looking through books. The girl – she could see it was a girl from her caramel blond ponytail, seemed totally unaware to anyone else around her. There was a ski mask covering her face, but through the slits Tori could see her eyes were totally transfixed.

She'd have to fix that.

Tori darted forward, picking up one of the decent sized books from the pile Baltor had been going through. Reeling her arm back she threw it so it knocked the girl on the side of the head, pushing her into a wall. "Sorry to be rude, but I don't believe that's allowed here."

The girl glared at her, and a moment later snapped her fingers. And entire bookshelf rose off the ground and propelled towards her. Tori's eyes widened, and she shot out her hands in an automatic defense. Red magic shot out from her hands, creating a force field around her. The bookcase hit it and burned to ash, as though it hit fire.

"I am _sick_ of your stupid organization!" Tori snapped, feeling the energy pool around her hands. It seemed as though her body was on autopilot, but she was too upset to care. "You're going to pay for it!"

The girl chuckled, but it slowly stopped when she saw the fireballs get bigger. She jumped from the balcony and started toward her, hoping she could knock Tori off her feet before she fired.

Big mistake. Tori launched one of them, pushing the girl back into a marble column. There was a crunch, and the girl screamed. The other fireball dissipated, and Tori looked her straight in the eyes. She could see fear in those eyes; something that made her feel even more powerful but less in control of herself. "You can't," the girl whispered, "It's impossible to already be at an Enchantix level."

Tori didn't know what the girl was talking about, and she didn't care. "If it's so impossible, go tell someone." When she didn't move, another fire ball lit up in her hands. "Out!"

The girl didn't need anymore persuasion. She turned and ran toward the entrance, her arm hanging at an odd angle. She must've been burnt, because the mask she was wearing fell off while she was running. Tori caught sight of a sapphire earring before she disappeared around the corner.

"Holy shit."

That voice brought Tori out of her surreal feeling. She shook her head and turned around. Standing near her were Valen, March, and a blond boy she didn't recognize. March was smirking, obviously impressed. "That was a nice power surge, probably fueled by dark energy. You're lucky it didn't take you over; once you darken your Enchantix, it's highly unlikely it'll come back."

"She said that too. What's an Enchantix?"

The blond boy laughed. "Look at yourself."

Puzzled, she did. The clothes she'd been wearing were gone, replaced with a skimpy red and purple dress she'd never seen before. Her eyes widened. "Um…how long have I been like this?"

"Since we came in. It's a nice form though," March said absently, his eyes raking over her body.

"Sure, be all formal about it."

Valen rolled his eyes at Tori, his silent way of saying he didn't approve of them. "Where's Baltor?"

Tori bit her lip. "Um…"

* * *

><p>"Oh come on, what kind of fight is this? I'm not a fan of cat and mouse, Baltor!" Lia called through the library. Her heels clacked against the wood floor. "Come on out, and I won't hurt you."<p>

"Bullshit!" a female voice yelled from a few rows over. Lia glared and fired off a few blasts of energy. The bookcases started to fall over, and she caught sight of someone puling a form into the next row. She smirked and headed off in the direction.

"Do you always have to try and get yourself killed?" Baltor hissed, dragging Bloom around a shelf and down the aisle.

"Do _you_?" she whispered back. "Why aren't you fighting her?"

"Because I'm rusty. If I even singe a book cover this place is crawling with guards."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Besides get that tracker out of your hand?"

"I hate to nag," Lia's voice spoke up from not far away, "but if you could raise your voiced just a _little_ more, that'd be great."

Bloom almost growled. She glanced around, and before Baltor could stop her, pushed over another row of bookcases and darted the other way. He had no choice but to follow her. _We're going to _die_ here,_ Baltor mentally snapped at Bloom.

_And who's fault is that?_

_That would still be you. Maybe you should get the tracker out of your hand._

_How do you suggest we do that? Cut it out right now?_

Baltor was ready to slap her. In frustration, he dragged them around a corner…

And there was Lia, a smirk on her face and a ball of energy in her hand.

He swore under his breath and dragged Bloom back behind him. The opening to another row of bookcases was too far back now, and besides, she was on their tail now. A feeling of dread started to settle into his bones. There was no way out.

Lia's smirk widened. "Say goodbye."

"Goodbye."

The sound of bullets echoed through the halls. The three of them ducked, Baltor putting a shield around them. He saw Lia straighten up, and fall screaming to the floor. A dark red pool started spilling from her leg, cascading onto the white floor and spreading out. A bookshelf started to fall from the brunt of bullets it received. Baltor noticed a dictionary on the shelf, and in a quick reflex he dropped the shield, grabbed the book, and smashed it against her hand, crushing the tracker beneath her skin. She yelled, cradling her now injured hand and hitting Baltor with the other.

Behind her, the man who shot her straightened up and pressed something on his ear, probably a radio. "Seize fire. I repeat, seize fire; we are green."

Bloom and Baltor's jaws dropped at the same time. The voice was recognizable, and eerily cheerful. As he took his black mask off, Baltor was grateful he'd kept his illusion spell up.

King Sky of Eraklyon shook his head, his blond bangs moving perfectly out of his face. "Well well Bloom, what trouble have you've gotten yourself into now?"

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Hello all! I hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving; mine was spent on the beautiful Cali. coast with my family, so I defiantly can't complain. Anyway, I want to be fast about this little AN since I'm at the local library, which has lost power twice today. <strong>****So, what do you think? Do you like March and Alec? Are you dying to know what happens next? Updates will be soon I promise. Until then, leave a review and I'll see you next time!**

**Happy Holidays!**


	7. Temporary Bliss

**Ok, before anything, I just have to say you guys are amazing. Over ten reviews in the last chapter alone? That's awesome! Now, I know it's finals week and a lot of people are stressing out, so here's a nice, take ten minutes to forget about ion memorization (never take Chemistry, children!) update. So read on and have fun!**

"Well it's not much, but this is all the information we have on the school attacks." Sky, now dressed in a button up shirt and black pants, took a slightly thick folder from the shelve behind him and handed it over to Bloom.

The redhead smiled politely, shifting her steaming mug of tea to one hand so she could grasp it properly. "Thanks. I'll take a closer look at it later. Is there anything on the Brotherhood?"

He shook his head. "Up until now, we didn't think they were related. I've got scouts sending the information now, and they should be here by morning."

"What of the girl in the library? What's happened to her?"

Bloom tried not to flinch at the sound of Baltor's voice. She'd tried to talk him into leaving her alone to talk to Sky, but he'd had none of it. Since that illusion spell was still working, Sky couldn't tell who he was, and he was in no danger. Bloom hated to admit it, but it was a good argument. Though she hated his cover story more; Christopher Camarena, her boyfriend she'd met on Earth when she'd first moved there. She didn't have the heart to deny the story (plus she couldn't think of a better one).

Sky glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. Bloom knew that behind her ex-husband's calm demeanor, he wanted to punch Baltor in the face. "She's in one of the private hospitals here. Apparently she suffered from a punctured lung via a bullet. She's on life support, but of course she'll be taken off fairly soon."

"So she's doing better?"

He looked amused, and a little smug. "No, you're misunderstanding me, Mr. Camarena. We're taking her off to die."

Baltor immediately straightened up, and Bloom saw a deadly look come into his eyes. "You're going to kill her? That's it?"

"You _don't_ want to see her die?" Sky raised an eyebrow, turning back to the shelf, apparently looking for more files. "After all, she tried to kill you and kidnapped my…your girlfriend."

"Have you looked at alternate possibilities? Was she under a magic influence that caused her to act this way? Did she have a motive we don't know about? Did she –"

"While I admire your equality ideas, we don't have time to do things like that. This woman is responsible for over four million dollars in damage to Magix from the schools and earthquake, and seven deaths. She's a nuisance, and this cult could dissipate without her to lead it. It's a necessary precaution."

Baltor's hands balled into fists. "Unless of course that's just want the Brotherhood of Redemption wants. They could be working for someone larger, and if that's the case you're killing an innocent girl who came into this for all the wrong reasons." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "You're the king in this situation, aren't you? Start acting like one."

"Enough!" Bloom finally snapped. They both turned to look at her in surprise. She took a deep breath. "We are all too tired to think straight right now. We need to take a break, get some sleep, and revisit all of this in the morning where it'll take more than a child's argument to start a blood bath."

"Bloom –"

"May I have a moment with her?" Sky cut off, pointedly glaring at Baltor.

Baltor raised an eyebrow. Bloom glanced between them, and placed a hand on Baltor's shoulder. "It's fine. Go check on the kids; I'll handle it."

He looked annoyed at her tone, but obliged and stood up, setting his cup of tea down on the desk. "A pleasure to meet you, your Majesty." He then turned and planted a chaste kiss on the top of Bloom's head. "I'll see you later," he whispered. With a pointed look at Sky, he left.

The moment he was gone, Sky took what sounded like a breath of relief. Bloom giggled, pulling her legs up and resting her chin on her knees. "It's not often a King is scared of a commoner."

He chuckled. "He's an…interesting fellow, I'll give him that."

"Agreed."

Sky came around the desk, taking the chair Baltor had previously been sitting in. He took her hand, running his fingers over her knuckles "An odd way to come back, huh?"

Slowly, she nodded. "Yeah, kinda weird, actually. I never thought I'd see this place again."

"Well I'm sure you knew the risks when you took them." His voice was purposely light, and felt like a knife jabbing into Bloom's side.

The smile on her face slowly faded. She yanked her hand out of Sky's grasp. "I'm sure you've been waiting awhile to use that one."

He sighed as she stood up and walked towards the window. "Do you blame me?"

"Sky I –"

"You lied to us Bloom," he cut off, his voice suddenly hard. "We trusted you and you lied to us! Everything I ever believed about you I suddenly had to question! Do you know what that's like? And of all the people…" he muttered, obviously not wanting Bloom to hear him but she did anyway. She narrowed her eyes as he continued, "You drove us all apart. Stella got mad that I didn't go after you and won't talk to me. Timmy was going to come work here but Stella talked to Tecna and she talked him out of it. Hell, I haven't even _spoken_ to Flora and Helia in a good year."

Bloom crossed her arms. "I made a mistake. But I left him for you. I left Baltor all those years ago because I loved _you_. And you had the opportunity to love me. But you didn't. As for everyone…I'm truly sorry for that. But what did you expect; we all stay glued at the hip as we go through the rest of our lives? You, Stel, Brandon, Layla, and Nabu all had kingdoms to run. Flora's on Limphea's royal council, and Tecna's working on Zeinth. But we all had to suck life up and move on. And your son is a living, breathing example that you did, just like me."

"You ran away."

"After you gave me the divorce papers. Sky what was I supposed to do? Stand tall and wait for the Magix Council to take my children and perform God only knows how many experiments on them?"

"You could've realized Baltor was using you and let go!"

_I didn't want to let go! _Bloom yelled in her head. But instead she bit her tongue. "What do you want me to do, Sky? It's the past; I can't fix it."

He opened his mouth, and after a second closed it again. "Is he still alive?" he finally asked.

"Yes."

"Do the kids know him?"

"My children have met him once," Bloom said, making a point of saying 'my' and feeling a slight satisfaction when she saw him flinch.

"Long ago?"

"Recently."

Sky nodded. "Do they like him?"

"With all due respect, that's really none of your business."

He stepped forward, and Bloom rose out of her chair to meet him. He glared at her for a long moment until she saw something flash in the back of his eyes. "Come back to me," he finally whispered, his voice fierce. "That…Christopher guy doesn't belong in the magic dimension, and you know as well as I do he won't last. We put him back on Earth and figure this out ourselves, and when it's over you stay here. The kids and Alec seem to be getting along fine, and once I get to know them I'm sure I can –"

"Love them?" she finished knowingly. Her voice was soft, but fierce. "Fifteen years and a day too late. You had a chance to love them – to love all of us, but you didn't. You told me to leave, you went to Diaspro –"

"Who said Diaspro was Alec's mother?"

"Who else could it be?" There was a pause. "Why did you ask me to leave? If you cared this much, why did you let me go?"

Sky bit his lip; his answer was obviously something she wouldn't like. He accidently met her eyes, and seeing as he was caught, finally sighed and spoke his mind. "I was afraid they'd turn out to be like Baltor."

"…Criminals?"

"Demons."

Sky knew he deserved the slap he got a second later. When he shook the dizziness clear, Bloom's cheeks were red and her eyes wide. She turned on her heels and stalked towards the door. "Thank you for your hospitality, _your Majesty. _We won't trouble you after tonight."

"Bloom wait, let me explain –"

She turned her head back, and he was surprised to find tears glistening in her eyes. "Did you think I was overtaken by some kind of demon too?"

Sky's averted his eyes for a moment, which gave Bloom the answer to her question. With a sharp breath she stalked out of the library, closing the door with a slam.

* * *

><p>Since Tori, Valen, March, and Alec were kicked out the main library while the 'adults discussed adult things', Alec suggested the four of them hang out in one of the smaller libraries in the castle, since the other three were staying for the night. Most transports between realms had been suspended since the Magix attacks, and Flora had to return to Limphea for Council and Helia was needed at Red Fountain, so March couldn't get back home. They'd put on pajamas (Valen and March borrowed some of Alec's, while Tori borrowed some for Alec's mother), and were currently sitting around a fire in the center of the room.<p>

"How do you think its going?"

Tori glanced up from the maps of the magic dimension she was looking over. Alec was on the couch across from her, wearing black sweat pants and a dark blue T-shirt. "I don't know," she replied absently, picking lint off the satin red shorts she was wearing. Whoever Alec's mother was, she was defiantly no bigger than a twig. "How long have they been talking?"

Valen glanced at the clock. "About half an hour."

Everyone glanced at each other. "I give them ten minutes before something goes wrong." Tori said.

"Five," March shot back. He was the only boy in the group who wasn't wearing a T-shirt, settling on just a pair of black sweatpants with the Red Fountain crest monogrammed on the bottom. Tori was ready to clip her eyes shut since they were wandering to his chest every few minutes.

"I'll take that bet," he said, holding his hand out. Tori hesitated a moment before grabbing his hand.

"So," Valen said absently, watching his sister and March closely. It seemed like he was going to address it, but thought better of it. "Does your mother live here?" he asked Alec instead. "Or is she a princess ruling over another realm or something?"

He half expected Alec to get upset again, like he'd done when he made the mistake of asking about Baltor. But the blond boy shrugged. "My parents never got married. It was just a whole one-night-stand thing after Bloom left him. They've both come to look at it as a mistake with a nice outcome."

"And what was that nice outcome?" Alec threw a pillow at March, and the others cracked up. "Oh, you were? That's a…nice, outcome I suppose."

Tori laughed. "Lay off. It's not that bad."

"You should be thankful she's not here right now," Alec said to Tori, his face humorous but serious at the same time. "She'd have told the media you're here by now. And once they find you, they'll be relentless."

"Relentless for what?" Valen asked, his humor suddenly gone.

"Interviews, the scoop on who your father is; stuff like that. You are royals who grew up off-planet and didn't attend a Magix school. It's a rarity."

"Plus you'll never be able to been seen with Alec alone in public," March remarked absently.

Tori raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

Alec chuckled. "Come on Tori; our parents were married, divorced, and there's no blood between us. The media's going to hop on to the idea we're together faster a new hovercar. I mean; Sky's son dating Bloom's daughter? Have you heard of anything more clichéd?"

"Is that a nice way of saying you don't like her or something?"

"Valen chill," Tori cut off, nestling back against the pillows. "We all know what he means."

Her brother shrugged. "Well, if we ever want to mess with the media and you're too scared to be seen with Alec," Valen smoothed his hair back and gave Alec a wink. "I don't mind."

The four of them burst into laughter, with a lot of pillows being thrown at Valen. "If Ali and J could've seen that," Tori gasped in between fits of laughter.

"Ah, that was too good…I think I'm crying…"

Alec was the first to sit up. "You guys are alright," he finally said once his breathing returned to normal.

Valen smirked. "For a stuck up prince, you're not so bad yourself."

"That man is going to make me shoot myself!" someone snapped from outside the door. Four pairs of eyes turned in shock to look at the doors of the library, and a moment later Baltor stepped through, his disguise spell gone and an annoyed look on my face. He seemed to stop ranting when he saw Alec, but the boy merely shrugged. "I feel your pain. I take it he's making a move on Bloom as we speak?"

"More than likely." The older man muttered, taking a seat in one of the empty chairs. "What about you four? Found anything?"

March tossed him a folder resting on the coffee table. "I was snooping through the extra files stored in here and found that. It's from Light Rock; apparently Icy was moved to solitary about four years back."

With a raised eyebrow, Baltor opened the folder. "Specified reason?"

"That's the big one; it's supposed mental instability."

"So she's going nuts?" March asked. "Psh, I could've told you that."

Baltor shook his head. "It's not that simple. Light Rock Monastery is all about being around positive influences to make you a better person. If she's in solitary, it pretty much means they've given up on her and they can't release her for fear she'll try and kill everyone. Perhaps I should make arrangements to talk to her tomorrow."

Tori raised an eyebrow. "What about Lia?"

Tori saw his expression darken. "Lia is something I'll have to deal with personally. I still have a few reliable contacts in Magix; they can keep an eye on her at the hospital and make sure she recovers properly from her injuries instead of dies, which is what Sky wants."

"Bite me." Everyone turned to look at Valen, who hadn't spoken since Baltor entered the room. His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were cold.

"Valen…" Tori started.

"Can you boys give us a moment?" Baltor cut off, looking at March and Alec.

They exchanged a glance and stood. "Of course," Alec said, always the polite one. "We'll see you guys in the morning." They walked out, and Tori distinctly heard them run down the hall, obviously nervous about the fight that was more than likely going to break out.

"Now Valentine," Baltor said, turning to face him. "Do you care to explain what that was about?"

"You're a hypocrite," he stated simply. "You're trying to stop the evil cult from taking over the world or something, but you were on their side until Mom beat your ass. These people try to _kill_ us, and you want to leave their leader alive. What kind of person does that?"

Tori glanced from her brother to her father. His head was resting in his hand, and he was regarding him thoughtfully. "I understand you –"

"No, you really don't," Valen snapped, rising out of his chair and glaring down at Baltor. Tori knew he was trying to establish power in the situation; to be the mature one. For the moment, their father was letting him. "You don't understand _anything_ about me, about my sister, or my mother. Two days ago, you didn't have the slightest clue we existed. And now you're trying to act like a positive influence for two kids you neither know nor give a damn about."

There was a moment of silence. "I've done things in my past I'm proud of. And it's true I don't know much about you, but in case you haven't noticed I _am_ making an attempt."

"What attempt? To take us to Magix to get ambushed?"

"Valen it was March's idea –"

"To get my family killed?" he continued, ignoring Tori. "Maybe we should just face it; the only reason you took an interest in my mother all those years ago was to try and get her on your side. But you knew she wouldn't take it, and then you got the idea to use her for a different game. Because kids don't turn against their parents, and Bloom would either join your side or you could keep her a consolation prize!"

"Enough!" a sharp voice sounded as the library door slammed shut. Tori breathed a sigh of relief as her mother stalked into the room, her face set in obvious disapproval. "Valentine Holloway," she said in an icy voice, "What did you just say?"

Tori expected her brother to look a least a _little_ nervous, but he held his ground. "C'mon Mom, everyone's thinking it; why aren't you?"

"Because unlike _everyone else_, I know what happened firsthand. None of this had to do with power or taking over the universe."

"Right; it was a love spell."

Baltor stood then, looking like he could backhand him into a wall. "Valentine, let me make this incredibly clear. There was no love spell, there was no master plan, there was no _anything_. I fell in love with your mother all those years ago because I couldn't help it, not because I was interesting in getting another game piece on the board."

"Do you honestly expect me to believe a convict who's been hiding from the law since before we were born? You can't just act like my father after you've just met us."

"Valen!" Bloom finally snapped, so loudly it seemed the whole library shook. Magic was sparking from her fingertips, and she looked ready to snap. "I am truly disappointed in your behavior right now. I expect better of you."

He didn't say anything, but had the decency to look ashamed.

"We've all had a long day," Bloom continued. "I think it's best we all get some sleep and try to work this out in the morning. As a _family_."

Valen huffed a little, but nevertheless stood up and walked out of the library with a cool 'good night'. And when the door to the library closed again and his footsteps retreated down the hall, it did nothing to soothe the tension still hanging in the air.

* * *

><p>Bloom retreated to her room in the palace, grateful she didn't run into anyone as she tried unsuccessfully to navigate the hallways. Finally she got where she needed, and proceeded to take a shower that lasted so long it probably wasted half of the palace's hot water supply.<p>

When she got out, Baltor was lounging on her bed, going through a spell book he'd snatched from Magix.

His eyes lifted to her as she entered the room, and nearly popped out of his skull when he saw she was wearing black shorts and a bra. Bloom smirked, enjoying the feeling of being able to control _him_ for once. "It's not like you've never seen me like this before."

The shock slowly wore off from his face. "It's been a while," he finally said.

"Hmm." She sat on the edge of bed, bringing her feet up and sitting Indian style. "I know you have questions."

He chuckled. "'Questions' is putting it mildly."

Bloom nodded. "Ask me anything."

He seemed to take her offer seriously, thinking over questions in his head. He opened his mouth once, then closed it. "Why…didn't you try to find me?"

"I did as much as the situation allowed. But I couldn't just tell people I was looking for a dead man. And a convict on top of that."

"Who else knows?"

"That you're the father? Musa, obviously, and Riven. Flora and Helia, Roxy and Andy, and Sky. I've been living on Earth since he…threw me out."

Baltor seemed to ponder that sentence. "So you didn't leave voluntarily?"

"Not at first. But I never went back when he asked me. I think raising them on my own made me…stronger."

He smiled a little, and reached forward to take her hand. "You were strong to begin with."

Her lips quirked as she glanced down at their intertwined fingers. "Maybe."

He chuckled, and she tilted her head up to meet his lips in a soft kiss. Even all those years ago, him being gentle with her was a rarity. She'd always savored moments liked that; the way her skin jolted with electricity and the world around her seemed to melt. The taste of spices and magic and something that could only be described as _his_ taste.

"There's a lot we have to work out," she said when they finally pulled their lips apart. "The Trix, Lia, the Brotherhood, the kids…"

"That last one should worry you more than Icy," Baltor chuckled.

"Tori seems to be getting along alright with it, but Valen's…well, you know."

"A bad blend of the both of us," he nodded. "My defiance and your determination."

"So what's the plan?"

He smirked and pulled her against him, giving her a long, drugging kiss. "I won't deny that we need to think of one, and that it would be wise to visit the witches tomorrow…but it's been almost sixteen years since I've had the pleasure of seeing you like this."

Her heart rate jumped a few notches as he leaned her back on the bed, his voice smooth and seductive. "Let's just have a little time to ourselves for now."

She responded by turning off the light.

* * *

><p>Valen sighed and dug the side of his face into the pillow. He'd gotten a few solid hours of sleep, but had been tossing and turning for awhile now. Despite the sweet room he had in the <em>palace<em>, he missed his room at home.

His eyes fell to the clock, the numbers four, three, zero glowing brightly in the pitch black room. He sat up in bed, rubbing his temples in hope they would erase the memories of earlier that evening (or yesterday, if he wanted to be technical).

He felt terrible about making his mother upset, but he couldn't help it. The fact that Baltor was a fraud was staring him in the face like the 'Don't Do Drug' posters in the nurse's office at school. He was honestly concerned at his mother's obliviousness.

Unless of course she was right, and his father _was_ trying to hold an olive branch.

Valen sighed, resting his chin on his knees. Life wasn't supposed to be this complicated. A few days ago he'd been studying his ass off for finals, concerned over ion memorization and the flow of blood through the body. The only major problems in his life were getting tickets for the Vans Warped Tour and asking Ali out without it seeming weird. Now a cult was trying to kill him, his father was a convict, and he was a _prince_!

Well, one thing was certain. He needed some time alone. Though he knew it would put him on even worse terms with his parents (not mother, but _parents_), he got up and threw on a grey and blue plaid shirt and jeans. His hair looked alright, he decided upon looking in the mirror. He wouldn't need to do anything to it.

Quietly, he slipped into his shoes and walked out the door, making sure to close it softly. When he didn't hear anything, he sighed in relief and turned around.

And came face to face with King Sky of Eraklyon.

He jumped nearly a mile in the air. "Your Majesty," he stuttered. "I was…I mean – I was just…"

To his surprise, the man smirked knowingly. "The walls are soundproof," he said, louder than Valen had been. "You don't have to worry about being quiet." He glanced at his clothes. "Going out?"

"I couldn't sleep. And the air's so thick around here you could cut it with a knife. I just need some time to myself."

Sky nodded. "I completely understand. I'm usually not up this early myself. I couldn't sleep."

"That makes two of us." Valen said, carefully looking Sky over. Since Alec had spoken to him, he'd been curious to look at Sky up close for any resemblance to himself. But looking now, he saw that Alec was right. Valen's face was harder with a more distinct jaw and cheek bones. Sky also seemed to have more muscle in his arms then he did.

"Magix is still recovering from damages," Sky was saying. "But I believe Limphea has some nice places to clear your head. I could give you some recommendations."

"Thanks, but…I think I'm going to go and grab some food from a place I know."

"Back on Earth? You think that's safe?"

"These guys are obviously in Magix now. Earth would be the last place they'd expect to find me."

Sky nodded, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a cell phone. He handed it to Valen. "Be careful. Call if you need something."

"I'll be –"

"Please," he insisted, smiling weakly. "Your mother would kill me if she knew I was letting you do this. At least we'll have a way to contact you in an emergency. Though I believe she's going to the Light Rock Monastery later to talk to Icy."

"Alright," he said, putting the device in his own pocket. "So, are you and mother…you know, going to try and work stuff out?"

The older man laughed. "As much as I would like to, I doubt her boyfriend would be approving of it."

"If you even want to call him her boyfriend."

Sky raised an eyebrow, obviously surprised. "Bloom made it sound like you and your sister had a good relationship with him."

"With Baltor? Please, I'd have a better relationship with starving lion then with that guy. He's trying to act like a parent after I've known him for two days. It's ridiculous. Anyone who has to use a disguise spell in public is probably not a good role model."

"Hmm…" his eyes were deep in thought, and Valen wondered what he'd said wrong. However, a moment later the look disappeared. "There's a portal installed on that phone, so you won't need the teleportation room. I have some…calls to make. Thank you Valen." Without waiting for a response, he headed off down the hall, muttering to himself.

Valen watched him go with raised eyebrows. Maybe he _shouldn't_ have been wishing Sky was his father instead of Baltor. They both seemed equally crazy. As he punched in the coordinates for the Shore House Café on Earth, he wished he wished life could just go back to normal.

The teleportation wasn't nearly as bad as the first one he'd taken had been. He shielded his eyes from the blinding light, and a second later he could hear seagulls squawking and people yelling and skateboards as they rolled over the sidewalk.

He was sitting on a bench outside Shore House, the pier packed as it usually was on the first Sunday of summer. People were moving around him, talking about some party up in Laguna and how the waves were killer today. He saw a group of freshmen from the school head into the diner, and after a moment Valen stood up and followed them.

The inside of the diner was familiar as always. The red leather booths and bar chairs, the smell of fried breakfast food, and the waiters yelling and laughing in Spanish. One of the older waiters saw him as he came in and grinned. "_Ay, Valen. Buenos días."_

He smiled politely. "_Buenos días, señor. Como ésta?"_

_"Bien, bien…pero, tú novia no es bueno."_

Valen raised an eyebrow, but a moment later he felt a presence behind him. "Hey Valen."

The familiar voice made him slow a little. It's tone implied that when he turned to face her, half his face better be missing. But Valen still took the chance and turned around, coming face-to-face with a girl with caramel blond hair, denim shorts, and a blue tank top with the Shore House logo on it. Her makeup was light, and a pair of sapphire earrings winked in her ears.

He sighed. "Hey Ali."

* * *

><p><strong>Things are getting crazy! Lol ;-) So, I hope everyone liked the update; this week has been pretty hectic, and I for one am looking forward to a winter break full of family, friends, writing, and Jersey Boys :-) Should be fun. Anyway, be in the holiday spirit and leave a review on the chapter. I don't want to be a total nerd and say 'virtual gingerbread to all that review'...but virtual gingerbread to all that review. :-D Happy Holidays!<strong>

**ember**


	8. Risky Business

**All right-y! Here it is after a suspenseful wait; a new chapter! I hope everyone enjoys!**

"Hair pins, please."

Bloom raised an eyebrow. "Hair pins? Isn't that a bit extreme?"

The guard in front of her shrugged. "Protocol, Your Highness. Anything that could be dangerous for the guests cannot be permitted in the visiting chamber. As well as the fact metal is a magic conductor."

She raised an eyebrow at Baltor, who merely shrugged and continued pulling out the gold cufflinks on his jacket to give to the other guard. The disguise spell he was using had backup layers, since the staff of Light Rock were specifically trained about seeing past illusion spells. Either Baltor was truly brilliant, or it'd been so long people had just forgotten about him (though she doubted it since Musa told her there was some sort of movie about them; heaven only knew why they'd cast Josh Keaton to play him).

Finally, she took out her hair pins and placed them in the tray. "Anything else I should remove?"

He glanced her over. "That should be all, ma'am. If you'll wait here," he motioned to the other guard, and they headed off down the hall, probably to get Icy.

"Feel weird to be addressed as a royal again?" Baltor asked, a smirk on his face as her leaned against the wall.

"A bit, yeah. I didn't miss the wardrobe though," she remarked, glancing down at the ruffled blue blouse and slacks she was wearing. Her hair was in a bun, and she had acrylic nails since she'd bitten her real ones down to the nibs.

"Considering the events last night, it's a miracle you look so put together."

She blushed. "I could've worn something with a lower collar, but there are _bite marks_ on my neck."

"And there are nail…no sorry, _claw marks_ on my back. As well as a few teeth marks on some more personal places." Her cheeks burned a darker shade of red as she swatted his shoulder. Baltor pulled her into her arms, chuckling. "Ah the battle scars of love," he remarked, kissing the crown of her head.

"Hmph," she said, though a small smile was spreading across her lips. She saw one of the guards returning, and she detangled herself from her lover's arms.

He led them down an array of corridors, the lights dimming and the well decorated exterior disappearing ever so slowly until the walls were white and the floor smelled like bleach.

"It's like a mental hospital," Bloom remarked quietly.

"Our guests are completely comfortable," one of the guards spoke up from behind her.

Bloom's cheeks reddened as Baltor wound his hand though hers. "I'm sorry."

"Your concern is understandable…ah, here we are." They stopped in front of a plain door. The guard took the key and unlocked it. "We'll be monitoring from another room, and periodically checking in with you every fifteen minutes."

Baltor nodded as the opened the door. "Thank you."

Bloom stepped inside first. It was a plain white room with a table and three chairs, one of which was occupied by a familiar figure.

Icy glanced up as they entered the room, her cold and usually infuriating eyes tired. She wasn't dressed in the usual Light Rock attire; instead, she had a plain white t-shirt and pants. Magic shackles were on her wrists, and the shackles were handcuffed to the table. She looked older and less confident than usual.

Maybe she really had gone crazy.

"We'll leave you alone," the guard said from behind them. A moment later, Bloom heard the door shut.

"Well isn't this a surprise." Like her physical features, Icy's voice was also tired and monotone. "You were the last person I ever expected to see." She glanced past her. "And who's this? Don't tell me you left Sky."

"I'm surprised you never caught on."

A look of surprise flashed across her face. "Baltor?"

He didn't respond, but sat down on one of the chairs, putting his feet up on the table. "We're here to ask you some questions."

Icy's face turned back to the blank stare it'd been, but Bloom noticed that they were more alight. "You'd be better off asking Darcy or Stormy. They completed the program's here and were released six years ago. They're more up-to-date with currents events. I'm very…limited here."

"I doubt that; a clever girl like you not knowing what's going on outside the walls?"

She smiled, and for the first time Bloom caught a glimpse of the Icy she remembered from her teenage years. "The staff here will disagree. They think I've lost it. Hence," she gestured to the bare room with her hands (which was difficult considering she was handcuffed). "Me being locked in here."

"Sure but, being in here means they don't worry as much. You can't go anywhere, you can't do anything; why keep an eye on you? And I'm sure you've got free time to do _lots_ of things. Painting, sewing, therapy, starting a cult…"

The witch's eyes flickered between the pair. A polite smile stood out of place on her lips "Ask anyone here; no one in solitary confinement can start a cult, nor will anyone who's been cleared of Light Rock would never return to the Dark Arts."

Bloom's eyes narrowed. "But we know you better than that, don't we Icy?"

She locked eyes with the redhead, and it was then Bloom saw the bored look melt away, replaced by the annoyance and hatred she'd come to know. Her lips curled into a spine-shivering smirk, and it seemed as if all signs of age faded, leaving Bloom and Baltor with a smart, capable, and certainly not insane, woman. "You always were smarter than I gave you credit for, bitch." She chuckled, and even her voice had icicles in it.

Bloom held her ground, though she felt a cold wave shoot down her spine. "You and the rest of the Trix are behind the Brotherhood, aren't you?"

"Guilty," she said nonchalantly, leaning back in her chair. "After you and your pathetic little club shut us down for the third time, we figured we needed a new approach. And word on the street is you disappeared after you had your kids. And even more scandalous, the story Sky divorced you over a case of sleeping with the enemy." Her gaze flickered to Baltor, and she chuckled. "If it's any consolation, both of the children look like you. Though I've heard the boy…Valentine, isn't it? I heard he finally got a brain and ditched your hair. Didn't do much, though."

Bloom felt her blood run cold. She put a hand to her head and felt a hair pin there; one she must've forgotten to take out and give to the guard. She pushed it into her head, the small, sharp pain jolting her awake a bit; she felt very strange suddenly. "How do you know about him?"

Icy grinned. "Come on Bloom, do you think we just rang every cell phone number until we found you? We've had tabs on you for quite a while."

"How?" she and Baltor asked at the same time.

"You could say it was the result of a…noble, kind of person."

"Noble?"

"Noble as in a king?"

Icy laughed. "As much as you want to pin everything terrible on him, I promise the King of Eraklyon has had nothing to do with this."

Baltor leaned back absently. _Noble can refer to royals _he said to her through their telepathic connection. _Or a place where a large event can happen; maybe in a royal court? There are also names that mean 'noble'; Edel, Gibson, Alaric, Alison –_

"What?" Bloom was so surprised, she forgot to answer him in her head. "Alison means noble?"

Baltor, obviously surprised, nodded. "Why?"

The redhead's gaze fell to Icy, who just sat there smirking. "Falling in love with the enemy," she remarked absently, her fingers taping against the metal table. "Looks like your son's falling right into your footsteps."

* * *

><p>"You really don't have to," Valen said dully, watching as Ali filled up his coffee again. "I don't have any money with me."<p>

"Nonsense," she insisted, topping the cup off and setting down a plate of steak, eggs, and bacon. "It'll come out of my paycheck. Though I have to ask; if you didn't have money, why'd you order food?"

"I was hoping to sneak out the back and put it on Jason's tab."

Ali laughed, taking a seat across from him in the booth. "You know I'm glad you're ok." She said, taking a piece of bacon from his plate.

He smirked at her, snatching the bacon strip out of her hand. "Obviously, if you're stealing my food."

"I didn't eat breakfast. But that's not important." As quickly as she'd reached for his food, she pushed it aside and leaned on the table, her eyes alight with curiosity and worry. "What _happened_? We're gone for five minutes on the most important night of our lives and you _disappear_?"

"I –"

"You scared me to death, Valen. I thought something terrible happened."

"I'm fine –"

"Then why the hell did you leave?"

"My Dad showed up, ok!"

Ali became eerily silent. "For real?"

"Yeah, for real." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's complicated."

"You could have told me," Alison said after a moment. After a moment, she reached over and squeezed his hand. "That's what friends do. Especially friends who want to be more than friends."

Valen's eyes snapped up. Ali was grinning mischievously, and he suddenly felt like a little kid who had a crush on the babysitter. His head was spinning, though it was a possible result of the headache that was coming on. "But…you and Jason made it seem like…"

She giggled. "You've got to learn to play all the angles, V. Otherwise life get's boring. But besides that; what's your dad like? Everything you hoped and dreamed?"

He snorted. "Yeah right. The guys a nut, apparently a former convict, and wouldn't know about family if he had one in front of him. Which he now does. It took me forever to sneak out of the pala…erm, _house_ and get here."

"Are you far away?"

"…A little. Maybe a few hours up north."

Ali nodded slowly. "Well…I'm off shift in a few minutes. How about you and I walk back to my place, and we can talk."

He nodded, rubbing his temples. "You have Advil at home? I've got a major migraine coming on."

"My mother's a pharmacist. She's got everything from vitamin supplements for my vegetarian diet to pain killers." She started laughing, but trailed off when she saw cringe. "Killer headache, huh?"

"It just got worse."

Ali nodded, standing up. "Then let's get going."

"You have to clock out…"

"Screw that if you're not feeling well." She insisted, reaching down to grab his hand. "Let's get going…"

Valen was more than willing, but the moment her hand touched his, a dark wave washed over him, reminding him of an electric current. His head suddenly cleared, and he snapped his hand back. He heard Ali gasp.

The young boy stared at his hand for a moment. "What the…"

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. I just…" he trailed off, his eyes falling to the doors at the front of the restaurant. He saw three figure behind the frosted glass doors, their heads bent as though they were talking in whispers. Even from behind the doors, he felt a bad vibe from them. "Those people…who are they?"

"Customer's I'm assuming."

"But why would they just be standing there?"

"Let's go ask." She reached for his hand again, but yanked it out of her grasp, standing to face her head on.

"Let me get this straight," he snapped; "We disappear from the best night of your life, and you're not killing me. You and Jason hook up after two years, and you say you like me. You're a vegan, and trying to eat the bacon off my plate. And there are three people in the front of your restaurant who look like they're ready to burst in here with guns, and you don't care."

"Who said anything about guns?"

"Ali!"

She stared at him for a long time. And then, finally, she shrugged and laughed. "Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag."

"What do you mean?"

Ali sighed. "Look, I'm sorry Valen, really I am."

Slowly, the pieces clicked in Valen's head. "It's not a coincidence my headache's worse, is it? Or that you're talking like you're possessed?"

"Just like it won't be a coincidence when the Brotherhood storms in here and captures you once they get the shield's down in a few minutes."

Valen's jaw dropped, and the blonde girl smirked. "Unless," she continued, her voice turning serious, "you come with me right now."

"You're working with the Brotherhood."

She shrugged. "You know I like playing the angles."

Automatic reflexes clicked in. Valen didn't know how, but he grabbed Alison by her shirt collar and the steak knife in the other hand. He held it at her throat, where he just see the outline of an artery. "I want the antidote to what you did to me," he said lowly. "Then, were are going to the pier, calling Tori, and we're going to have a nice little talk."

A smirk crossed her face. "What's the magic word?"

"Or you will get to see what the bottom of the ocean looks like."

* * *

><p>"You had Alison trailing us this whole time, didn't you?"<p>

"And she was very precise as to your location. We owe most of our master plan to her."

"I'll kill that girl."

"Too bad you won't get the chance."

Baltor, who'd been silent since he'd found out the new development in the case, finally decided to speak. "What's your plan, Icy? You come after the Dragon Fire, start using _teenagers_ to do your dirty work, and then just confess to it all while giving us more. What are you up to?"

Her grin could've frozen them in a sheet of ice. "Well, in the spirit of fair chance I'll tell you. The Dragon Fire is obviously one of the best power conductors in the magic dimension. If its used to say…I don't know, boost a hypnosis spell across every major planet, then the few who're left would no doubt fall once the army had instructions to subdue them."

The new piece of information processed in Bloom's head. "That means the Brotherhood…"

"Was just a distraction for you, and everyone else."

"You still don't have the Dragon Fire."

"Really?" She reached under the neckline of her shirt and produced a necklace, a small charm attached to it.

Bloom recognized it, and her eyes went wide. "The Whisperan Crystal."

"Which has been sucking Baltor's power during this whole conversation."

Both girl's gazes fell to him as the words hit him. He stretched his hand out like he was trying to create a fire ball, but the air in front of him remained still. Surprised, he jumped to his feet, nearly collapsing as the full force of the crystals hit him.

"Baltor!" Bloom rushed forward and looped an arm around him, helping him keep his balance. His breathing was heavy and uneven. Bloom glared at Icy. "Why tell us all that?"

"I'm not stupid Bloom. Maybe I know things you don't."

"…Meaning?"

"I bet that hairpin is getting really hot after feeding a spell to your subconscious mind for the last fifteen minutes."

She almost let Baltor fall to the floor. Once the initial shock wore off, she reached into her hair and yanked the pin out, letting it clatter to the floor. "W-what did you do?" Icy didn't respond, but rather smirked. "Icy!"

Before she could say more, the door behind them opened and two guards walked in. The younger of them looked nervous, but the older one stepped forward, his face calm (as per usual Light Rock security detail), but Bloom could see anger flickering in his deep brown eyes. "Your Highness, we must ask you to step away."

Bloom raised an eyebrow. "Under what circumstance?"

"We've received a call from the head of the Eraklyon Royal guard. They have suspicion to believe this man is not who he says he is."

"And what exactly does that mean?" she asked, though she was starting to assume the worst. But how could Sky have found out 'Christopher' was really Baltor?

She didn't have time to wonder. The guard stepped forward and yanked her away, using his other arm to catch Baltor as he fell. He shoved Bloom into the other guard's arms, and then muttered a spell under his breath. Bloom tried to break away to stop it, but it was too late. She felt the illusion spell that'd been cast fall away, leaving the image she saw now; a brilliant, powerful sorcerer looking like the breath had been knocked out of him.

"As I suspected," the guard said, his tone smug. "Sir, I'm sorry to inform you that you are hereby under arrest for your actions, and will be detained here until the proper authorities arrive."

Bloom watched as Baltor took a few deep breaths. She saw magic starting to crackle at his fingertips, and he looked up a moment, later, his face set in cold fury. His eyes were glowing red, something Bloom hadn't seen in sixteen years. "Care to bet?"

He gripped the man's forearms, and he fell to the ground in pain. He then shot a beam at the other guard, knocking him out. And then, almost as an afterthought, kicked the table to it knocked Icy to the ground.

Bloom gasped. "Are you…"

"No." he cut her off. "I can only do spells in short bursts, and who knows how long it'll take before I start feeling the effects of just that. We need to get out of here. How did Sky find out?"

"I didn't say anything. But the kids didn't know."

"Fantastic. So we need to somehow escape, get to Eraklyon, avoid Sky, and expose Icy's plan to the magical dimension, and get my son to stop hating me."

"…Sounds right."

He laughed and straightened up, with obvious discomfort. "Come on, then."

"Be careful," a sing-song voice chirped sarcastically as Bloom started out the door behind Baltor. She turned back to look at Icy, still chained to the chair on the floor. The whole setting; the overturned table, the guards bleeding on the floor, made her look like she really was crazy. "The west exit will be crawling with guards. Use the south one."

"Bullshit. Why should I believe you?"

"Because I've told you nothing but the truth."

"Please. I doubt you even spelled me. You can't conduct a hypnosis spell through a hairpin."

"Right. Keep saying that."

Bloom shivered. "You know," Icy continued absently, "I'm surprised you gave up on Sky like that. If I were you, I'd forget Baltor ever existed and go back to your prince."

"Let her ramble Bloom!" Baltor yelled from down the hall. "We've got to get going."

After a final glance back at Icy, Bloom raced to catch up with Baltor as alarm bells started sounding in the distance.

* * *

><p><strong>Ooh, mysterious, huh? Now everyone listen for their name; Authoress-In-Training, Aermrynna, general zargon, WinxClubDiaries, WinxCouples, Akela Victore, itachaisgurl93, winxfan16, aquariawinx6, Bloom2000. If I said your name, I want to thank you for your awesome and encouraging reviews; they mean a lot!<strong>

**So, do you think Icy really spelled Bloom? Did you think Ali was working for the Brotherhood, or that the Trix were connected? Are dogs better than cats (no, this has nothing to do with my story, my friend and I have a bet going. Just answer it)? Either way, leave a review and tell me what you think. The next chapter (as per my tradition) will be posted New Years Day at midnight! Keep awake or wait in anticipation! I'm off to dinner; later guys!**

**ember**


	9. Intoxicated

"Is this necessary?" Alison asked as Alec handcuffed her to the pier.

"If you're from the Brotherhood, it's completely necessary." March said.

"I don't know guys," Alec smirked as he heard the final click. He leaned over her, fingering a strand of her hair. "She's kind of cute."

Ali responded to the comment by narrowing her eyes and kneeing him in the groin. He yelped and stumbled back.

"She bites," Tori said in a purposely dull voice.

"Yeah, thanks for the warning."

"Thanks for telling him to unlock me," Ali added, her blue eyes narrowed.

Tori straightened up. "Unless I get some explanation for your attitude, I owe you precisely nothing. You can stay chained up here until the Pacific freezes over, for all I care."

She yanked on the handcuffs, but they didn't budge. Ali sighed and blew a strand of hair out of her face. "I can explain."

"Good. Let's start with you being in alliance with the Brotherhood of Redemption. When did this happen?"

"Lia…approached me when I was thirteen."

March's eyes widened. "But that's…"

"Not within the last three days? No duh."

"The Brotherhood was keeping tabs on us this whole time?"

"Well they had to figure out it was you first."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "Why did you say yes?"

"I thought she was delusional. You know the creepy homeless guys on the street you just nod at when they talk to you and you think they'll leave you alone? That's what I assumed would happen. My mistake."

"Yeah, because you sound sorry."

"Watch it, blondie."

"Girls, girls, you're both pretty," March said sarcastically. "Can we be friends now?"

Alec rolled his eyes and Ali smirked. "Now…what is it the Brotherhood wants?"

"What does every bad guy on the face of the earth want?"

Tori chuckled darkly. "Let me guess; take over the world?"

"Bingo."

"Method?"

"Hypnosis and post-hypnotic suggestion. That's how they get new flunkies so fast."

"Then why aren't you all 'yes ma'am, Lia?'"

"Well, unless Valen's let it slip when he's talking about me…how often would that be, out of curiosity?"

He wouldn't meet her eye. "Answer our question."

A knowing smirk crossed her face. "Touchy, touchy. My mom's into a lot of 'organic medicine'. She knows basics about hypnosis, and therefore I know how to make sure it can't effect me."

"Even with a magic element added in?"

"Hypnosis _is_ a form of magic. And a good one when done with grace."

Tori glanced from Ali to Valen as she contemplated her next question. "Why do they want Dad?"

She ignored the sharp look from Valen, while Ali regarded it with a smirk. "Dragon Fire is the most powerful magic in the dimension. Using a dark form of it could intensify the spell so much…"

"Everyone falls under it without even realizing it."

"That's what makes hypnosis an art form."

"One more question," Alec said.

"Yes, I'm single."

He glared at her. "Who's really hosting this party?"

Ali shrugged. "If you're really second-generation Winx, you should know the answer. Who knows the properties of dark Dragon Fire and how it can be used to…I don't know, let's say _raise the Army of Decay_, knows Baltor well enough to figure out he probably had a little thing with Bloom and is still alive, can cause the freak weather in Magix, and has extensive knowledge about hypnosis?"

Tori and Valen exchanged a glance. Ali sounded crazy. Tori turned to March, only to find his jaw set in anger. Alec's look mirrored his. "The Trix." The two boys said at the same time.

"Correct."

Tori raised an eyebrow, her eyes still on March. "What do you think?" she asked. "Is she telling the truth?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "It makes sense. We'll need a truth serum to make sure she's not duping us."

"Hold on," Alec interrupted, his eyes wide. "Didn't Bloom and Baltor say they were headed to Light Rock this morning to see Icy?"

Tori's eyes widened. "If Icy's using hypnosis to control people…"

"They could be in a lot of trouble."

"And what about the Light Rock guards?" March added. "They're trained to see past disguise spells."

"Baltor's smart. Plus the guards would need a big tip off to figure out who he was, and since no one knows that but us…"

"And your Dad."

Everyone turned to state at Valen (except Ali, who was half-heartedly following the conversation). "What are you talking about? Bloom didn't tell my Dad about Baltor. They made up some cover story about him being from Earth."

Ali chuckled. "You look pale, V. Don't tell me you ratted out your dear 'ol Dad?"

"_Valen_," Tori said, narrowing her eyes.

Her twin chuckled nervously. "C'mon guys, why are you looking at me?"

"Valen!"

"I thought he knew, alright! It was a slip; I'm sorry!"

"If Sky knows about Baltor…"

"We need to get to Light Rock Monetary now."

"Mind un-cuffing me first?"

March glanced at Ali. "Oh no. _You're_ coming with us. We may need more information. Plus, we can't have you ratting us out to the Brotherhood again."

Ali smirked. "I wouldn't dream of missing out. The only way you could make it better is if you were my personal guard."

Tori rolled her eyes, and March's smirk widened. "While I would honored, I think I'll leave that to someone much more…willing. Right Alec?"

The smirk fell right off her face. "What?"

Alec laughed. "Where's your excitement, Alison?"

She glared at him. "You better hope there aren't any of the Trix's minions there, or I might order them to rip you limb from limb."

Alec glanced back at Tori and Valen, who shrugged. "Ain't she a charmer?"

The prince grimaced and went to undo the handcuffs.

* * *

><p>"Another pair coming on your left."<p>

Bloom nodded, and as they rounded the next bend she shot out a barrage of fire arrows. The guards were obviously unprepared for the attack, and fell to the ground. Baltor jumped over their fallen bodies and Bloom flew as they kept going. She was surprised Light Rock hadn't activated the anti-magic barriers yet, but so long as her Enchantix was still working she didn't care.

"That has to be at least two dozen guards by now. We're going the wrong way!" Bloom yelled over the sirens.

"Well then where do _you_ suggest we go?" Baltor shot back as they reached the end of the hallway, where it branched into three different corridors. "I don't recognize this part of the building, which means we're further away from the main spell archive at the heart of Light Rock. That puts us towards the edge of the main complex. Now based on where they led us to meet Icy, we should be near the west entrance, and the air hanger is by the east…"

Bloom tuned him out as her head started pounding again. It'd been steadily getting worse since the whole ordeal with Icy, and Baltor's rambling on about the schematics of Light Rock wasn't helping her. She also felt a bit angry at herself; of course Sky would've figured out who Baltor really was by now! He wasn't stupid. Though it'd been so long, she'd forgotten how smart her ex-husband had really been. She was surprised she gave up on Sky so easily.

_I'm surprised you gave up on Sky like that._

"Bloom!"

She didn't register that her wings had stopped beating until she crashed to the ground, pain jolting her awake. Bloom hissed in pain and started to get up, but Baltor had already moved forward and scooped her into his arms. Without waiting for a response, he took the corridor to the left and started running again. "Are you alright?" he asked, looking down at her, concern laced in his eyes.

She shook her head, trying to stop the pounding. "F-fine. Just tired."

"I'm serious, Bloom; what's going on? You were fine up until everything with Icy. Did she do something to you?"

_I bet that hairpin is getting really hot after feeding a spell to your subconscious mind for the last fifteen minutes_. "She was just bluffing. I'll be alright."

"Bluffing about what?"

Bloom sighed; they were running for their lives and _now_ he was choosing to act concerned. "She said she put a spell on me with a hairpin, alright? But nothing bad has happened, so there's nothing to worry about."

"Why didn't you say –"

"Just drop it, ok? I'm fine!"

She regretted the words once she said them, but Baltor didn't drop her flat on the ground, so that was a good sign. "We're getting you a magi-scan once this is over."

Bloom nodded and placed her head in the crook of his neck. "I can walk, you know."

"Not happening. Just fire spells when I say shoot."

She laughed as Baltor pushed open another door, and they walked outside into the sunlight. "Sounds good."

Immediately, a group of guards turned and started firing at them. Bloom blocked it out with a shield and sent another blast at them. Despite what Baltor said to her, she felt her wings working again, and flew out of his arms so she could get a head count on the people blocking them from the ship hanger. There were a good thirty to forty guards, with an official looking airship docking in the hanger now. Bloom recognized the insignia on the side of the ship and almost dropped out of the sky again.

_Sky_

"Shit, we're in trouble now."

"What's going on?" Baltor yelled up at her.

"Just keep fighting!"

* * *

><p>"What the heck is going on here?" March asked, watching as guards rushed by towards the main quad. "It looks like these guys are getting ready for a war."<p>

"Or a battle against man who's beaten them before," Alec said grimly. "Sky must've alerted Light Rock he was here; according to the tracking device on my phone, Dad's airship is on the way here."

"Along with the Eraklyon Royal Guard?" Ali laughed; which she hadn't done since being handcuffed to Alec. "Wow V, you're parents find each other after fifteen years and it takes you less than a day to screw it up? Good work."

Valen felt his cheek's redden. "No one asked you. What's the plan?"

"Find Mom and Dad before the lovesick king?"

"Will you quit calling him that?"

Tori glared at Valen. "What you prefer I call him? 'That guy who knocked up our mother'? Face it V, he's _trying_. Which is more than the few pricks who tried to date Mom ever did. I know you don't like him, but the fact you don't get along is because you two are so _similar_. Sooner or later you have to accept that."

"Um, great point Dr. Phil, but we've got bigger troubles ahead of us. Check it out." Ali pointed to the main building, where white light was shooting up from the roof and lighting up the windows. "Looks like Icy's planning her own escape. If she got the Dragon Fire from one of your parents we're in major trouble."

"Worst case scenario; if she does have it and breaks out, how long she can broadcast a mind control spell to the whole dimension?"

"I don't know; a day, maybe two? I was just an informant, it's not like I spoke to the Trix personally!"

March sighed. "Do you have _anything_ that can help us?"

Ali seemed to think for a moment before smiling. "Well, one thing…"

Everyone watched as she closed her eyes and, after a moment, starting glowing. The handcuff attaching her to Alec broke like a toothpick as the light engulfed her. There was a loud roar as the light started to fade, leaving a very different Alison behind. She had on what could've best been described as a turquoise strapless bra with a cut top that showed her cleavage (something Tori had secretly envied for the last year), and a short turquoise skirt. Black cords connected the top to the skirt, and were fashioned on her right leg. A piece of thin, flowing turquoise fabric was attached to her hands with the help of two gold rings. A matching gold pendant hung from her neck.

Tori raised an eyebrow, and the boys' jaws dropped. "It's a…Disenchantix, of some kind." Alec managed to stutter.

Ali flipped a piece of hair over her shoulder and smirked. Her lips were bright red, and her eyes stood out with the black eyeliner. "Well, it took a good amount of magic dosed over the years; I'm still an Earth girl with no power, after all. Since I couldn't form an actual fairy form, this was the closest thing the Brotherhood could give me; a form made of dark magic."

"It's…charming." Valen said carefully.

"Or Victoria Secret gone goth." Tori muttered, summoning her own fairy form. On the short ride to Eraklyon the previous night, her mother had taught her the few basics of Enchantix; how to switch it on and off, how to throw fire balls, and how to create shields. Other than that though, she was a lost cause.

"I say we find our parents before we take on Icy. We'll have a better chance taking her on with more people."

"Sounds good. But we'll have to get past the wall of guards first."

Five pairs of eyes turned to look at the large rally of guards headed toward the hanger entrance, and a moment later a large blast of fire radiated from it, sending most of the guards tumbling backwards.

Alec smirked. "Twenty bucks says its Baltor and Bloom."

"I'm not missing this," Ali insisted as she took to the air. Like Tori, she had wings, but instead of large butterfly ones, they were small, golden, and looked to be shredded. But she still flew into the air with grace. "You with me, T?"

The red blonde girl looked up at her with mild curiosity. "I recognize those earrings. That was you in the library last night, wasn't it?"

Ali didn't smile. "You shouldn't have your Enchantix. Like your mother's, it's been created from pure force of will. But unlike her, it means there's more darkness in your attacks, which if used for an extended period will damage your magic. That's why you surprised me at the library. I would've never let anyone get away normally."

"Hmm," Alec smirked. "It looked like she was kicking your ass from where we stood."

"Hey, no one invited you into this conversation, blondie."

"Easy," Valen said sternly. "Save it for the guards."

"Brotherhood training for three years doesn't leave room for 'easy', honey."

Valen's eyes narrowed. "I will send the picture of you cowering in fear of a _poodle_ all over Facebook. And I'll barbeque that damn cat of yours."

Ali's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare."

"You want sweet honey barbeque sauce or spicy?"

"Will you two quit flirting and get a move on!" Surprised, Ali and Valen turned to find everyone else was already far ahead, starting to work their way through the guards. "We don't have all day here!" March yelled as he tossed Valen a Phantom Blade. "Avoid hurting these guys!"

"How am I supposed to avoid killing people with a _sword_?"

A ball of energy almost hit him in the leg, and he looked up to see Ali smirking. "Those are made up of a sleep spell. Want to put the baseball unit of P.E. to good use?"

Valen glanced at the ball, and grinned at her. "Batter up."

* * *

><p>"Sky and the rest of the rest of the Eraklyon Guard is getting off the ship!" Baltor yelled, managing to throw another blast at the guards. He was regaining his magic, but nowhere near as fast as was needed with the guards swarming them.<p>

Bloom kept the shield up around them with some difficulty, but her powers were slowly draining. That combined with her headache was not helping her aim. "Once they get, close, we make a break for the ship. Then we head for Zenith, and make this thing public."

He nodded up at her, and a moment later his face paled. "Bloom duck!"

"Mom!"

Before Bloom could do anything, she was pushed out of the way of a line of spears that the Eraklyon guard had shot off. She turned in surprise to look at her daughter, who was now returning fire to the guards. "Can I go to jail for this?" she asked, sounding mildly concerned.

The redhead laughed and started firing with her. "We'll work it out. Where's your brother?"

"I think he and Ali are playing an abstract form of baseball."

"_Alison's _here?"

"I know, I know; I'll explain later. What's going on here?"

"You know that witch Baltor and I were talking about?"

"Let me guess; take over the free world?"

"Take over the free world." Bloom agreed.

"That should end well." She glanced down. "Baltor's ok, right?"

"He'll be fine once he fully regenerates his power."

Tori turned to look at her. "Is this Icy girl that bad?"

She was about to respond, but she saw one of the Eraklyon soldiers launch something at them. It took a moment for her to recognize it as a pair of magic binding cuffs.

Bloom wasn't the only one to notice. "Victoria; down now!" Baltor grasped her ankle and dragged her down, the cuffs avoiding her. Unfortunately, that gave them a straight trajectory for Bloom.

She swore and cut the shield off before the handcuffs hit her. Their momentum sent her flying across the courtyard and into the side of the air hanger. The cuffs landed on the ground near her, but then zoomed upward, already locked onto her magic signal. She had a split second of inner panic before an old trick Tecna showed her entered her head. Bloom flew forward and grabbed both of the cuffs and pressed them together. After a moment, the pieces of metal went limp in her hand. She sighed in relief and dropped to the ground.

"Bloom!" She looked up and saw Baltor making his way toward her. Behind him she could see Tori and March back to back, taking on the guards with ease.

"Bloom watch out!" another voice yelled from behind her, and a moment later she watched Baltor go flying into a nearby hedge. She gasped and turned to fire a blast at whoever dared to mess with her lover.

And saw Sky standing there, a Plasma gun in his hand and his face concerned.

The fire ball in her hand slowly dissipated, though she didn't want it to. Something in the back of her head felt…funny. Like she was waking up from a dream. Her head was pounding, but at the same time it felt like it was helping her see straight. Bloom started at him, watching the light filter through from the skylight in the hanger and noticed how he looked like a prince there to rescue a damsel in distress, but at the same time she could tell by his expression he didn't have a doubt she couldn't handle herself. He just looked…so damn sexy.

_If I were you, I'd forget Baltor ever existed and go back to your prince._

"You're going to regret this, pretty boy." A voice snarled, and she turned to see Baltor emerging from the hedge, looking royally pissed off. His gaze turned to Bloom, and he winked at her. "Feel like taking him on together, darling?"

Her eyes narrowed as a sense of disgust filled her. "In your dreams, asshole."

Baltor's jaw dropped, and Bloom switched the anti-magic cuffs on in her hand and launched them at Baltor. They hit him perfectly and he fell to the ground.

"Baltor was impersonating Christopher. Or he was Christopher." It took her a moment to realize Sky was next to her, his face grim. "I'll have my people go to Earth and try to find him, but you may have to prepare for the worst."

She turned to look at him. She couldn't believe he was trying to make her feel better, especially now. "Christopher doesn't matter," she insisted, and he turned to look at her in surprise. "I…" she took a deep breath. "I've been avoiding this for a while, and I need to just say it. The only reason I was with him was to try and find a replacement for you. And I shouldn't have done that."

Sky raised an eyebrow. "What _are_ you saying then, Bloom?"

The redhead shook her head and smiled. "I didn't love him. I loved _you_, Sky."

And she kissed him.

* * *

><p>"Baltor!" Tori yelled, trying to get past the guards who were forming a tight circle around him. "Let him go!"<p>

One of the guards turned to her in annoyance, and shoved her back into March's arms. "Keep your girlfriend out of our way," he snapped.

"Say that to my face, bastard!" Tori made a lunge for him, but Valen was already at her side with a tight grip on her arm while March held the other one. Alec and Ali weren't far behind. The small courtyard was getting packed. And even worse, it looked like a few reporters were even there, quickly and quietly snapping photos. "They can't do this!" she said, obviously frustrated.

"Actually, they can." Alec said softly. "They have hundreds of terrorist acts they have every right to arrest him for."

"But that's not fair!" She straightened up after a moment, suddenly calm. "We have to find Mom."

"Um, Tori," Ali spoke up, sounding uncertain for the first time that day. "Bloom seems a bit…distracted."

"With what?"

"…Shoving her tongue down the King of Eraklyon's throat."

"What?" Tori, Valen, March, and Alec said together, turning to follow Ali's gaze. Tori thought she might have been going crazy, but to her shock, she saw Ally was right.

"What the frick?" Alec muttered. "What in Magix's name is going on?"

At that moment, a hole was forming in the guards, and one of them brought Baltor through, handcuffs on his wrists and a cut on his cheek. She saw her mother detangle herself from Sky (thank God), and calmly walk toward him.

"Thank goodness, she can fix this…"

And promptly smacked him across the face.

Valen's face dropped. "Or not. Let's go."

"…Don't care where you take him," Bloom was saying as they approached. "Just get him out of my sight and make sure he _never_ threatens me or my family again."

Baltor was trying to fight against the guards, but there were too many. "What is _wrong_ with you?" he asked. "Bloom, this isn't funny!"

"No Baltor, it's not. Just like that spell you put on me all those years ago wasn't funny. You thought I'd just join your side? Dream on."

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" March muttered.

"I want this man on the next ship to the Omega Dimension." Sky said, his eyes alight with triumph. "We don't even need a trial."

"You can't do that!" Tori yelled.

Sky turned to look at her, his face set in fake sympathy. "Victoria dear, you don't know this man. He's committed unspeakable crimes you can't even begin to imagine."

"Sky's right honey." Bloom added, stepping forward and intertwining her fingers with Sky's. "Let us handle this."

"Dad come on!" Alec snapped. "Even you have to know this isn't right! What did you do?"

"He didn't do anything." Tori turned to look at Baltor, who'd gone from looking confused to angry. "It's Icy. She put a spell on her. It must be why she's acting like this. And she's escaping right now if you'd turn your fucking heads!"

Sky huffed. "Please. Icy's in _solitary _here, with no access to magic."

"Bloom left a hair pin in by accident! You have to believe me!"

"That's pathetic, even for you Baltor. And in front of _children_, no doubt."

A guard stepped forward. "We can secure the building, sir. I'm sure Icy's still safely contained. I'm sure Baltor was trying to break her out in the first place."

"Bullshit!" Valen snapped. It was the first time he'd spoken up for his father.

"Set up a medical post as well," Bloom added, casting a weary look to her children. "I think they may have a spell on them."

The guard saluted her. "Yes, Your Highness. Take their Majesties to the headquarters, and take the _prisoner_ to the holding dock."

"No!" Tori yelled as the guards started dragging Baltor away. She broke free of the boy's grasp and ran after him, though she didn't really have a plan. "You can't take him away! He's my _father_, he can _fix_ this!" She reached forward to grasp his hand, but a guard pulled her back at the last minute. "Dad!" she yelled.

And a camera snapped her picture.

* * *

><p><strong>*Gasp* What kind of madness is this? Is this the wrong story? I want 2011 back!<strong>

**So yeah...Happy New Year all! Sorry for being...twenty-three minutes late! I hope it's worth it! Updates will be coming out soon in this new year, so keep reviewing to give me motivation and keep this little circle moving! I want to add more stuff, but I can't think of anything with the fireworks being lit off right by my house. So...that's it! Tell me what you think of this little plot twist in your review! **

**Have an awesome 2012, everyone!**

**ember**


	10. Angel With A Shotgun

***Waves* Hi! It's been a month (well...more like a month and a half). I know that's bad. And ****I know you guys are kinda mad at the new twist that has been taken (it sucks getting hit with virtual pancakes, especially if they were covered in syrup… Though that comment did make me laugh; thanks general Z!), so I'm going to shut up as I usually do, and you can hear me ramble at the end as usual.**

* * *

><p>"Put in…I don't know, three cups of willow tree sap."<p>

Alec looked up at Alison with critical eyes as she chopped up petals from a healing rose. "Did you just say 'I don't know?' As in you're _unsure_?"

She sighed. "Excuse me, Prince Perfect. I've done hypnosis spells, but I've never found a foolproof formula to undo them."

Tori glanced up from the spell book she was going through. "So basically, you're going to put a bunch of crap together, shove it down Mom's throat, and hope for the best?"

Ali's eyes narrowed at her. "We don't really have any other options right now, do we? Because if so, I'm open for suggestion."

"She's right," Valen spoke up. He was lounging on a large chair in the potions lab, deep in thought. "It all just sounds like some fancy chemistry to me, and let's face it; the whole sophomore class would be failing if it weren't for her. Let her guess."

"Or," Tori shot back, "she guesses and Mom grows another head."

"What do I look like, a CT witch? I know what I'm doing."

"Sure," Alec muttered. "Because everyone who knows what they're doing uses the phrase 'I don't know.'"

The blond girl straightened up and stopped cutting the petals, instead pointing the large knife at Alec. "I am _not_ in the mood, buddy. Keep up the sarcastic comments and you're toast."

Alec looked equally steamed. He hopped down from the counter and looked her straight in the eye. "Oh yeah? You and what toaster?"

"Will you guys stop!" a voice snapped from the doorway. Everyone turned to look at March as he walked into the room. He'd gone to take a shower in Alec's room (since Tori, Valen, and Alec had been dragged back to Eraklyon, so he and Alison had no choice but to follow him), and was wearing faded jeans and – much to Tori's surprise – an LMFAO shirt. He had a laptop open and balancing on his forearm, and his face was grim. "Knife down. Now."

Ali rolled her eyes, but obliged.

"We are in serious trouble, boys and girls. Now is not a time to fight." He set the computer down on a table nearby and motioned everyone to gather around. "Here are some of the latest news reports from the Magix Journal. Does anyone want to take a guess as to what it involves?"

Tori braced herself as her eyes fell to the screen. The picture on the article was of her reaching to touch Baltor when he was getting led away by the Light Rock guards. She glanced up at the title, and immediately looked away when she saw the word 'psychotic'.

Surprisingly, March was the one to offer her comfort, looping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her to his side. She rested her cheek on his shoulder, breathing in the scent of a spicy cologne. "What does it say?"

"What it doesn't say will take less time. There are the basics of course; your mother's back, her children are with her, Baltor's spelled them, blah, blah, blah. But then it gets…odd."

"Define odd."

"Well, they've said you're now clear of the spell, and they'd usually drag that out. That means they're kind of terrified."

"They should be. Tori in a bad mood is a force to reckon with."

"I don't doubt that. But then it goes on again, saying that Baltor had been captured and is being shipped to the Omega dimension tomorrow. And it…stops."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "That can't be right."

Ali raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Oh please. This is the _Magix Journal_. They live on gossip. They have it for breakfast with toast and orange juice. If they aren't going ape over Baltor…"

"Something's seriously wrong."

"Something like…"

"I don't know. But whatever it is, it's not good."

Ali gave him a pointed look. "Well, that makes things much more clear, doesn't it? What do you plan to do about this apparently blackmail of a realm-acclaimed paper?"

"I don't _know_ what the plan is. I was just commenting on how odd it is. The majority of the article talks about how Bloom and Sky are back together and are planning to be married again…"

Alec sighed. "When this is over, I'm going to live with Mom."

Valen's eyes narrowed. "No offense Alec, but if he even _thinks _about setting a finger on my mother, I'll kill him in his sleep."

"None taken. I'll help you."

March ran a hand through his hair. "Well, we could get real answers, considering the people they're gossiping about are right here in the castle."

"…He's got a point."

"I'll talk to Mom," Tori said. "A little girl on girl romance discussion."

Valen nodded. "Alec and I will go talk to Sky. March, keep us posted on the article. Ali, keep working on the reversal potion. Meet back here in say, half an hour?"

"Who made you team leader?" Ali smirked.

Alec rolled his eyes and dragged Valen to the door. "So long as it's not you, it'll be fine."

* * *

><p>"Mom? Do you have a second?"<p>

Bloom glanced up from the catalogue she was looking through as her daughter stepped through the doorway. A smile crossed her face. "Why wouldn't I?" She patted the spot next to her on the couch of the lavish suite. "Come sit; help me look through these. How do you feel?"

Tori shrugged. "I'm alright. Tired."

"I know." She set the magazine aside and sighed. "I'm sorry everything came out like it did today. I'd planned to tell you and Valen when you got older…I'd never dreamed things would happen like this."

"Mom –"

"Let me finish." She held up a hand, and Tori reluctantly fell silent. "I know the doctors at Light Rock said you weren't under any sort of spell, but I can't help but think Baltor said something to you that's gotten you really shook up."

_No kidding_, Tori thought sarcastically as her mother continued on. "I just want you to know honey; whatever Baltor wanted you to believe, it wasn't true. Wither it was about me or Sky or you or Valen…"

"Or all of them."

Bloom shook her head. "I knew it. What did he say?"

"Everything you never did!" she snapped, growing impatient. "That you were a fairy, that you were a princess, that _I'm_ a fairy and a princess. That you almost stayed married to a complete jerk who didn't even _try _to care about us." Tori watched her mother sigh, and the anger that was building up receded slightly. "You said Baltor was our father. He is, isn't he?"

"Unfortunately."

"You didn't use the word unfortunately last night."

Bloom raised an eyebrow. "You weren't here last night."

Tori made a mental note of that. Whatever was wrong with her mother, it was obviously messing with her memories. "Then where was I?"

"Honey," Bloom rubbed her temples and stood, walking around the room as though trying to control her annoyance. "You and Valen have been with Roxy and Andy in the Resort Realm. Remember; they got you out of Disney before the Brotherhood could find you and kept you safe."

"…Alright. What about you? You didn't have time to tell me how you found Sky again."

"There was an earthquake in Magix last night. He'd been deployed with the Eraklyon Guard and we met up outside the Council Library. We took refuge in there, and that's where we found Baltor. He fled after a short fight, and we figured the next thing he'd try to do was break out Icy."

Tori nodded, her hands balled in her shirt to keep from swinging at her mother. "Is he leading the Brotherhood?"

"We think so. Now," Bloom turned to face her, a small smile on her face. "Anything else?"

She stared right into Bloom's eyes. "Did Baltor mention anyone named Lia?"

"It doesn't sound familiar." She replied, reaching down to grab a magazine.

Trying to process this new information, Tori grabbed another one of the magazines on the table. "What are all these?"

"Wedding dresses, mostly. Of course the extremely formal service won't be for a few weeks, we're getting the marriage certificate with a few close friends tomorrow."

Tori lost her grip on the magazine, and it fell to the floor. "_What_?"

Bloom bit her lip and shook her head, but Tori saw a small smile on her face. "I was hoping you wouldn't react that way."

"_How else_ should I react? Jump up and down like a kid on Christmas?" A well of emotions were in her head, but all Tori could do was sit on the couch and stare at her mother in complete shock. "Why?"

"Besides the fact we love each other?" Tori shuddered, but her mother kept talking. "If we combine the armies from Sparx and Eraklyon, we can help clean Magix up faster. Also with the courts; we could try and bypass Baltor's sentence for the Omega dimension."

That statement caused the young girl's eyes to widen. "So you'll release him?"

"In a sense, yes. If it happens, he'll be put on trial by the Magix Council, with most or all of the planets charging him."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, most of the accusations will come back with a guilty verdict; there's more than enough evidence to convict him. If Stella gets Solaria on our side, and Sky talks to Diaspro…the four royal courts can come together and ask for a death sentence to be carried out."

And Tori thought the shock couldn't get any worse. "You…you want to _kill_ him?"

"It's what he deserves, sweetie."

"B-b-but," she stuttered, though nothing was coming out. "You're going to kill my _father_?"

Bloom smiled sympathetically, and put a hand on Tori's shoulder. "I know this is hard, but Baltor isn't a person you'd want to get to know. You may think there's something kind under there, but it's just the workings of a psychopath. There's so much more to family than just blood. Once you really get to know Sky you'll see –"

Tori scoffed and pushed her hand away. "Well maybe I don't _want_ to get to know Sky." She stood up and walked to the door, not wanting to participate any further in the conversation. "I think I'm going to bed."

Bloom looked like she wanted to say something, but finally she sighed. "Alright. But please don't tell your brother about this; I'd rather do it myself."

She nodded. As she put her hand on the doorknob, she turned back to her mother. "Can I ask you something? If I've been with Roxy and Andy for the last few days, how did I meet March and Alec? And how did Alison get here?" She didn't respond, and Tori huffed in annoyance. "Right. Hypnosis spells don't connect all the dots, but as long as you think you're right we have no problems."

Before Bloom could respond, she walked out of the room.

* * *

><p>"It doesn't look like things went well," March remarked as Tori stalked into the lab, her face set in a mask of cold fury.<p>

"No shit, Sherlock." She replied, flopping down onto the chair. Her red tank top was riding up, leaving her stomach exposed, but she was too tired to pull it back down. "My mother is, without a doubt, one-hundred percent gone."

"No she's not," Ali spoke calmly. She'd made considerable progress from when Tori left, but there were still numerous vials around the table. She set down a glass of blue liquid and looked at her. "Think of Bloom's memory like an old cassette tape. And think of the hypnosis spell as someone taping over a particular song on the tape. The new footage is more prominent; the main thing you hear. But there are pauses in the song, just like there are gaps in the story the spell fed your mother. And through those you can still hear the original song."

"But once you tape over a song," March said, "isn't it impossible to get it back?"

Ali picked up a vial again. "In the case of a cassette tape, yes. But not with memory. Everything is stored in the brain somewhere. The trick is to find the original memories and coax them out. And in theory, that should happen once we get rid of the spell."

"But even if we reverse the spell, how do we know the old memories will return? What if we're left with a blank slate? Or amnesia?"

Tori rolled her eyes and leaned back against the chair. "You two are making my brain hurt. But March does have a point; what if that happens?"

Ali gave her a sympathetic look. "Wish I knew, T. But right now we can only hope for the best."

"Hmm," Tori mumbled, rubbing her temples.

"Here," she opened her eyes to find March holding out a soda. "Caffeine helps headaches. Something about dilating blood vessels to stop throbbing."

She smiled lightly. "Thanks. You wanna sit? I can move over…"

"Don't worry," March smirked, and sat on the arm of the chair, one leg dangling over the edge. "I'm flexible."

Tori tried to keep her mind from wandering to the less…child appropriate thoughts that statement brought. "So," she said, trying to clear her head. "Any more information?"

"Not that I could find. Really there isn't much circulating through the media besides rumors. And Valen and Alec aren't back yet. Hey," he placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's up? You look like your going to be sick."

"You could say that." She sighed and took another sip of the soda. "According to my mother, she's marrying Sky tomorrow."

March's eyes widened, and from behind her she could hear Ali gasp. "Besides the insane idea that she loves him, they're hoping to ask for Baltor's death sentence."

"And I thought the Brotherhood was nuts," Ali muttered. "Is that in the media?"

"Not that I saw," March said. "But it'll probably be sometime tomorrow."

"Then that'd be the most likely time for Icy to attack. If everyone's focused on those two, she'll be able to pull off a mass spell with few people noticing her."

"That sounds like trouble."

Tori glanced over her shoulder in time to see Alec shut the door. Valen looked to be about as happy as Tori. She smiled sadly at her twin. "Things didn't go well for me either, if it makes you feel better."

"Slightly," Valen replied, his voice cold. "Alec, no offense –"

"Sky's a douchebag. I know."

"What'd he say?" Ali asked.

"What he didn't say is a better question." Valen sat on the other arm of the chair, and Tori rested her head on the side of his leg, as she'd done countless times at home during movie marathon Friday. "He's apparently 'oblivious' as to why Mom's had a sudden change of heart about him, but he assured me it's nothing to be concerned over."

"He also said you both could call him 'Dad.'" Alec spoke up, his voice slightly muffled as his head was stuck in the small fridge looking for a soda.

Tori shuddered. "He wishes. Did he say they were getting married?"

"Yep."

"I hate to add to the stakes, especially with Valen in a bad mood," Ali ran a hand through her hair and crossed something out in the notebook she had on the table. "I've got most of the reversal spell figured out, but I'm missing an ingredient; some kind of magical thing that can unbind the spell."

March groaned. "Let me guess; as per typical clichés, there's only one person who knows what it is."

"No. However, there's only one person who knows the ingredient that we have a location on. Lia."

"And based on the medical reports I stole from Dad's office," Alec added, "the least likely to kill us, since she's pretty close to death herself."

"Didn't Sky say there was mass security on the building?" Valen asked.

"Wouldn't be any fun if there wasn't."

Everyone groaned. "There must be _something_," Tori insisted. "Back entrances, hidden tunnels…"

March shrugged. "There are rumors of passageways in the hospital – it used to be strictly reserved for members of the Eraklyon court. But the blueprints for the hospital itself were stolen years ago."

"Stolen by whom?" Tori asked. March and Alec both gave her a look, and sighed. "Let me guess; Dad took them."

Alec smirked. "My mother hand-delivered them to him personally – don't ask how she got involved with Baltor, it's a very long story. But wherever Baltor was hiding out over the last decade is where you'll find the blueprints."

Valen raised his hand mockingly. "So let me get this straight; to cure Mom, we need to find the final ingredient for the anti-potion or whatever the hell it is. And to find this ingredient, we need Lia's help; not to mention she tried to kill us. _Twice_. But to get to Lia we need the blueprints to the hospital, and they were stolen by Baltor and are probably gathering dust somewhere in the universe we can't find ourselves. So what you're basically saying is we have to break him out of this holding place before he's shipped off to Omega tomorrow night, and do all of this before Mom and Sky say 'I do?'"

Everyone glanced at each other, as though nervous to speak. "That sounds…pretty accurate." Alec said in a purposely light tone.

Valen banged his head against the chair. "We're doomed."

"Hey; says who?" March wacked Valen's shoulder with a smirk. "I think we have a pretty good chance."

Valen raised an eyebrow, and everyone in the room took note of how at that moment with the look of disbelief on his face and the sarcasm in his tone, he could've passed for Baltor. "You're joking right? We are – in short – two California kids who have known about magic for less than a week, a kid from Planet Hippie who's channeling an emo side, and a prince and former traitor with God only knows how much underlying sexual tension between them. Now tell me my friend; do we really have a chance?"

March stared at him for a few seconds. "First off; I am _not_ emo."

"And I'd sooner sleep with Tori than Alec. No offense," Ali added, throwing a look to Alec, who rolled his eyes.

"Oodly enough, offense was taken."

"Second," March continued, ignoring the others, "you should _never_ underestimate the power of good things in small numbers. Look at the positives here."

"…My parents won't have to worry about me getting a girl pregnant for a long time, since they all seem to hate me?"

"Besides that, Alec. You," he pointed to Tori. "are driven. That's a fantastic quality that few people possess. You," his finger moved to Valen, "take charge in situations, and no one can change your mind when it's made up. Combine the both of you, and you're already a good threat.

"Now let's add in the others." His gaze shifted across the room. "Alec my friend; you can work the media like no one else. Along with that, you are really good at finding important information, and finding it fast. And you," Ali crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, and March gave a small, nervous chuckle. "Do we even to say it? You're a master manipulator, and an apparent genius in any lab. Now add in my combat skills and the fact I know how the court systems works since my Mom is actively involved in them, and I'd say we're a pretty badass team people should think long and hard about messing with."

Everyone stared at each other, and a few moments later burst into laughter and overly-zealous applause. "Dr. Phil has spoken," Ali chuckled.

March was pretending to look serious, but the grin on his face gave him away. "So unless someone wants to hear that speech again, we are going to come up with a kick-ass plan and save the universe. Who's with me?"

Alec smirked. "If we don't have to hear anything like that again, I'm in."

"Same here," Tori added, giving a genuine smile for what felt like the first time in a while.

March squeezed her shoulder. "That's my girl. Alison?"

The blonde girl shrugged. "What the hell? I'm in."

"Valen?"

All eyes fell upon the dark-haired boy on the arm of the chair. He seemed to be doing quick calculations in his head, weighing his options out. Finally, he looked up at the four other people in the room, and he grinned devilishly. "Ladies and gentlemen, I have a plan."

* * *

><p><strong>Soooo...<strong>

**First off, I have to say thanks again. I know second-generation stories aren't always met with positive feedback (to date, there are only two in the Winx Club universe I've really fallen in love with; Between Two Times and What Comes Next - both are linked in my favorite stories in case you're interested), so to receive all this encouragement is really awesome. Knock on wood I didn't just jinx myself!**

**Now then, I know this chapter was basically setting up all the action-y goodness to come, but I hope you liked it. Because trust me, the rest of this story is a treasure trove of action, romance, and the slow demise of Sky's happily ever after with Bloom (*insert evil chuckle here*). We have five, yes count 'em _five_, chapters left of High Hopes in Velvet Ropes. I'm hoping to have the story wrapped up by June, since I won't have internet access during July. Keep your fingers crossed!**

**Lastly (and kind of exciting), High Hopes is just two reviews away from being my most reviewed story that I've written solo (Leap of Faith has it beaten out; blame it on Authoress' clever writing ability, lol). I'm really hoping that good reader karma kicks in, and this chapter helps me break that record, and the even more daunting record ahead of being my first story to have over 100 reviews!**

**Thanks everyone, and an early happy National Singles Awareness Day to all! (I understand some people refer to it as Valentine's Day, but those guys are like the total minority of the holiday, lol)**

**ember**


	11. I'm A Wonder

**It's Friday, Friday, posting updates on Friday! Everybody's looking forward to the chapter, chapter...**

**Ok, I know it's like a half hour away from being Saturday, but I _really_ wanted to use that joke. :-) So now that I've got that stuck in your head; hello! I hope everyone had a good week, and if you didn't; here's your pick-me-up! Yes, this is the big kickoff of the major climax arc! Action, romance, tears (hint, hint; foreshadowing!), the downfall of King Sky of Eraklyon... all that goodness. Ready?**

* * *

><p>"I still don't know about this."<p>

The earpiece she was wearing crackled with static, and Ali knew Valen was sighing. "Trust me. This will work."

"He's right," March added. "The pictures of Tori that are circulating around the internet are blurry at best, and a few less than reliable news outlets have already mistaken you for her. There's no mention of Valen, so no one will be looking for him as much as you. All you have to do is impersonate her for a few hours. No big deal."

"It's not like you haven't done it before," Tori added, her voice sarcastic.

Ali sighed and glanced out the window. It was a cloudy day in Magix, and three stories below she saw the hoards of paparazzi trying to get into the hotel, hoping to snap a picture of the new royal family of Eraklyon and (in a matter of a few hours) Sparx. "I know it's easy," she insisted, wrapping her arms around herself. "But I don't like the idea of you, March, and Valen in a huge blockaded warehouse on Zenith looking for Baltor. If you three get caught, what are we supposed to do?"

"Alec can fill you in. Isn't he in there anyway?"

"No. He's been talking on the phone with Diaspro for the last hour. Apparently she isn't too happy right now."

She heard Valen chuckle. "I know how she's feeling." There was a loud clunk in her earpiece, and it was silent for a few seconds. "We need to go," Valen said, his voice sharp. "You and Alec watch each other's backs."

She shuddered. "Why couldn't Alec go with you and you come to Magix with me?"

"Because he's _my_ father. If anyone's going to slap some sense into him, it'll be me."

"Hmm…"

"What?"

"That may be the first time you've called Baltor your father without sarcasm."

He huffed indignantly. "So what?"

"You're starting to _care_. How sweet. Next thing you know you'll be going to baseball games."

"_Goodbye_, Alison."

She laughed. "Be safe."

"You too."

The communication cut off, and Ali turned from the window to do another onceover in the mirror. With her hair in a high ponytail, it was harder to tell the shade was a bit darker than Tori's natural red-blond (because there was no way anyone was coming near her with hair dye; planets be damned). A short, black and white V-neck dress, green leggings, and brown ankle boots created a formal look, but Ali chose the outfit mostly because she could run in it with little to no discomfort.

She grabbed a tube of mascara and started applying it. In the mirror, she watched Alec come out of the bedroom, shutting his phone off. He looked uneasy as his eyes met hers in the mirror. "You've gone and screwed up now, Bally."

Alison wanted to question how he'd come to know her last name, but decided not to. "How so?" she asked lightly, admiring how the gold contacts looked.

Alec pointed to his ear, where she could barely see the earpiece. "With _that_."

"You'll have to be more specific. And I'm surprised you heard anything talking to Diaspro."

He sighed, ignoring the comment. "You do know what Valen's thinking right now, don't you?"

"…That this is risky?"

"Now that you're on our side, he has a _chance_ at you. And by the way, I'm still not sure about it."

She sighed and turned to face Alec. He was dressed sharply; tan pants and a blue and white button-up shirt with some odd design on it. His hair was slicked back into a small ponytail, so for the first time she was able to look into both of his eyes at the same time. "Why don't you trust me?"

"I never trust people like you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"People who do things for 'the opportunity'," he air-quoted the words. "If you hadn't joined the Brotherhood in the first place, maybe none of us would be in this mess."

She dug her fingernails into her arm. "Hey, in case you haven't noticed, I've done nothing but _help_ you. And if you think a bunch of people in ninja costumes are going to jump out and whisk me to safety if things go wrong, you're sorely mistaken. My head's on the chopping block right now – just like you. Come on," she added when she saw he wasn't convinced. "Name one person you know who takes deals 'for opportunity', and has gotten scorched."

"My father."

Alison stopped. Alec smirked. "Exactly. 'Oh, my ex-wife who I was insanely in love with suddenly loves me again, even though last night she couldn't stand me. I should probably make sure everything's ok, but first I'm going to marry her and kill the guy she cheated on me with.'"

She sighed. "And now we're about to expose him to the whole universe as a fraud."

"Yep."

"…So what does that have to do with not trusting me?"

Alec shrugged. "You just seem smarter than that, is all. And when smart people try to outsmart big players, they rarely make it."

She started applying mascara again. "And…" she asked, knowing he was going to make another point.

"It makes me think your ties to the Brotherhood of Redemption aren't completely severed."

It was her turn to smirk. "Ever looked up the definition of the word Alison? It means noble. As in 'showing high moral principles and ideas.'"

"A personality makes a person, not the name." There was a knock on the door, and Alec went to answer it. Before disappearing from the reflection in the mirror, he turned back to her. "Did Valen tell you about that talking parrot March has?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Yeah…what of it?"

"Well it just…I'm over at March's a lot, and he likes to repeat phrases. And he'll…say certain ones most of all."

She raised an eyebrow. "Is that not the definition of a _talking_ parrot?"

"No, no. I just meant –"

"Look Alec, if you're getting paranoid over some silly bird, we really are in trouble. Now will you please answer the door?"

"What nationality are you?"

Alison rolled her eyes. "If I answer you, will you put this whole thing to rest?" He smirked and nodded. "I'm European. Half French, half German."

The smirk fell from Alec's face. "Right. Course you are. Why would you not be?" The knocking continued, and Alec shook his head, as though waking from a dream. He smiled at her. "Don't worry; I'm just speculating. It's probably nothing. And I should get the door."

He was off before Ali could say anything else.

* * *

><p>"Damn, this place is creepy," Tori remarked as she, March, and Valen continued down the hallway. The walls around them were made of metal, and the only light was from the small fireball in her hands. The florescent lights in the hall were supposed to be motion activated, but March shut the feature off so they wouldn't be as noticeable.<p>

"It's reminds me of one of those movies where the main characters go into the science lab and get picked off one by one."

A shiver went through Tori's body, making even her wings shake. "Thanks, Valen. That's _so_ helpful."

"Anytime. Hey March, where do we need to start?"

The boy ahead of them held his hand out, a silent signal for them to stop. After a few seconds, he reached into the pocket of his black jeans (everyone was dressed in black, as per his request) and pulled out his phone. He shined the light on the top of a door, where an LED screen showed a set of numbers. "Each room here is marked with the date the prisoners are going to be shipped out. We're looking for the ones who're leaving tomorrow. From there we find Baltor, unfreeze him, and hopefully leave without alerting anyone."

Valen rolled his eyes. "And I said this would be difficult. Silly me."

"Oh hush."

"Check this out," Tori interrupted. She let a few flames raise up from her hand and illuminate the sign above the door. "These prisoners are being sent out on Wednesday. The next doors must be for tomorrow."

March grinned. "Alright. Let's go."

Tori noticed the surprised look on Valen's face. She reached forward and touched his arm lightly. "What?" she asked softly, knowing he was deep in thought.

He shook his head and put an arm around her shoulders. "I just can't believe it. It's Monday right now. This time last week our biggest problem was passing the English final. And now we're…here. This entire world was just a story from when we were little, and now it's real."

She smiled a little. "Are you saying you wish it didn't happen?"

Valen sighed. "No but kind of. I mean, now that everything's happened, I can't picture going though life like before. Being so…naïve."

"But at the same time being naïve and having no knowledge about the cult out to get us seems like a pretty sweet life?"

"Yeah. And back when I thought our father was some multi-billion dollar business tycoon who was just staying away from us to keep us out of the public eye."

His sister smiled sadly. "I always thought he was some famous actor, like George Clooney."

"Or one of those crazy artistic people who'll come back for you in a dramatic scene and you'll spend the rest of your life traveling all over the world." Tori and Valen stared at March, who merely shrugged. "What? I'm part of the 'no biological parent' club, too. I can have my own fantasies."

A loud bang stopped everyone in their tracks.

Tori let the fireball in her hand disintegrate a bit, dimming the light and letting a small amount of ash fall to the floor. March shoved his phone in his pocket, and the three of them pressed against the wall. Tori raised a finger, and everyone stood stiller than statues. A moment later, another bang sounded. Tori's eyes turned in the direction, and when the third one sounded she was sure it was coming from the room two doors down and across the hall.

She turned to Valen, who nodded in approval. Slowly, the three of them headed for the door. When they were closer, Tori saw it was just barely open, letting a dim beam of light pour into the hallway. Valen silently motioned to the bottom the door frame, where a shining piece of duck tape was. Tori guessed the piece of tape was keeping alarm bells from ringing, probably by reflecting a sensor back like the closed door would've. Wearily, she glanced up at the sign above the door, hoping the prisoners in the room were going to be shipped out in a few weeks.

But of course, they were the prisoners being shipped out tomorrow.

"Keep as quiet as possible." Valen's voice was so soft, it took Tori a moment to realize he'd spoken. She nodded, and together the three of them slipped inside and dove behind a desk.

The inside of the room looked like a laboratory and was colder than the Himalayas. The entire room seemed to be lined with large, circular chambers. Almost all of them contained a large piece of ice with a black mass inside. Wires were going through the ice chunks, and flashing information across screens.

"They freeze them a few weeks in advance and monitor them to make sure they're in a good state of suspended animation." March whispered when he saw the look on Tori's face.

Valen had grabbed some papers from above the desk, and was scanning through them hurriedly. He glanced from the nearest prisoner to a diagram on the page of the different tests. "Most of these look like there's still a lot of brain activity," he said quietly. "What do they do if they're still showing signs of life?"

March shrugged. "Let them go anyway. They're criminals, who cares?"

"Does it say where Dad is?"

He flipped a page. "Um…left side, the fifth chamber."

Tori looked to the left wall and counted until she got there. Sure enough, her father was already frozen, his brain activity very elevated by the looks of the monitor. "But if Dad's already frozen…then what was that noise?"

As though some unknown force had heard them, the noise sounded again. But along with it was another noise. Almost like a…yell.

"How can we not find him!" a slightly deep female voice yelled, followed by what sounded like a boot making contact with the wall. "We've been in here for hours!"

"Would it _kill_ you to keep your voice down?" another voice snapped. They were coming from around the corner of the room. "If we get caught, the entire plan goes haywire."

Tori, Valen, and March exchanged a look, and tried to stay low to the ground as the voices got closer. "This is ridiculous," the first voice continued, and Tori watched as she came around the hall. "We have enough power from the first dose, why do we need more?"

The young girl raised an eyebrow. The woman was older, maybe in her middle thirties. Her hair was black and frizzy, and she was dressed in black leggings and a short red dress. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"It's not about more power." The other voice said, and the other owner of the voice came into view. She was brunette, with blonde streaks in her hair. She had a black top and purple jeans. "Based on the information that Icy's gathered, Bloom's pathetic children are planning an assault on us. And more than likely, they'll be breaking Baltor out to aid the cause. If we get rid of him before they find him, there's no way they'll succeed."

"Well are you sure they haven't beat us to it? We've checked every one of these things…"

"Shut _up_, Stormy!" the brunette snapped. "You'll wake up every prisoner in the warehouse!"

Tori saw March's face pale. "Fuck," he swore, then clamped his hand over his mouth, even though no one within a ten foot radius could've heard him.

"Look who's talking, Darcy. You're the one who said he was in the last room."

While the two were arguing, Valen turned toward March, his eyebrow raised. "Who is that?" he asked.

March gulped. "That's Darcy and Stormy."

Valen's eyes widened. "Darcy and Stormy? Darcy and Stormy 'worked with Baltor to enslave the _universe_', Darcy and Stormy?"

"Yep. Stormy's probably responsible for the earthquake in Magix, and Darcy will more than likely be the power supply for spreading the hypnosis spell across the dimension."

Tori raised her hand and cast a small spell to create a small bubble around them to keep their voices from reaching the ears of the two witches. It wasn't very strong though, as too much magic in the air would set off an alarm. "What do we do?" she asked, her voice still quiet.

"Check that row again," Darcy snapped at Stormy. "I'll look back around the corner again."

"Whatever we do," Valen said quietly, "we need to do it fast."

March was looking around desperately, trying to find anything that could be of use. After a few moments, his eyes widened. "Tori," he hit her shoulder. Grab that thing above you on the desk and give it to me. Hurry."

She raised an eyebrow, but did as she was told. When Stormy's back was turned, her hand reached up and grabbed the object with lightning speed. Tori examined it before handing it over to March. "A laser pointer?" she asked, her eyes wide. "You'll blow our cover."

"No I won't. I've got a plan." He glanced between Tori and March. "Do you trust me?"

Valen exhaled silently, but nodded.

"Alright," Tori said quietly, her eyes falling back on Stormy. "But whatever you do, do it quick. Stormy's almost to Dad."

* * *

><p>The control room of the Omega Dimension Holding Armory (ODHA, as it was often abbreviated by the locals of Zenith) was usually quiet, as the single guard on duty usually slept his night shift away. But on this particular night it was alive with the sound of the coffee machine brewing up a steaming cup of joe for the woman who sat in a large swivel chair, staring intently at the monitor where tomorrow's prisoners were being held.<p>

Tecna absently fiddled with the silver band on her ring finger, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. She missed the days where she could stay up all night on one cup of the stuff instead of a whole pot, but she wasn't complaining. Especially if staying up meant _he'd_ stay put all night. Her eyes narrowed at the tiny screen, focusing intently on the chamber she knew Baltor was being held in.

Details on the entire affair between her former enemy and the former leader of the Winx Club were few and far between. She'd tried calling Musa for information, but Riven said she'd been too swamped with calls from the media and was catching up on sleep. So Tecna was left to her own devices, trying to piece together what in the realms could've brought them together.

Needless to say, she wasn't getting anywhere.

The fairy of technology sighed, and was just about to go and get that cup of coffee she was desperately craving, when something on the monitor caught her eye. Namely, that the screen giving her the perfect view of Baltor's holding chamber was now bright white.

Tecna sat back down in the chair with a thud. A moment later, the screen went back to the picture of the holding room. And after another moment, it went back to white. And then back to the holding room. She tapped the monitor, but it didn't do anything to help.

Something about the pattern of the changing screens was odd. It tugged at the back of her mind, trying to will her into remembering it. She took a deep breath and sat back, feeling a headache coming on.

_I'm old and thick,_ she thought wearily, _head's too full of stuff. I need a bigger head. Especially in an emergency –_

That train of thought brought up an old memory. Of a few years back when she sat with Flora in Limphea, drinking tea and discussing things that'd happened in recent years. Remembering how March had sat nearby, toying with an old laser pointer and terrorizing Cagney, Flora's tabby cat. And she remember showing March, who paid close attention, how to spell out words using different light signals.

Tecna's eyes fell back to the screen, and she took a close note of the flashes of white light. After a moment, she was able to make out that they were in fact spelling out letters.

_S. O. S. M. A. R. C. H._

In the moments where the screen showed the holding cell, Tecna caught sight of movement by one of the chambers.

The coffee pot beeped to show it was finished brewing, but Tecna was already out the door.

* * *

><p>"Darcy! I found him!"<p>

March hissed in annoyance and finally stopped flashing the laser pointer at the camera. He didn't know if Tecna had seen him, but if she did, she'd better move in fast.

"We've got to stop them," Tori insisted, gripping March's hand so tightly he was surprised she wasn't cutting off circulation.

"How?" Valen snapped. "You heard the stories. Those two could kill us with one hand tied behind their back. How are we supposed to stop them?"

"How could you be so heartless? That's our _father_ they're after!"

"Will you two both just –" March raised his arm in a dramatic gesture, but he accidentally hit the top of the desk. He yelped in pain before Tori could clamp a hand over his mouth.

Darcy and Stormy stopped cold. "What was that?" the black haired witch asked, suspiciously raking her eyes over the room. Tori held her breath.

"Search the area," Darcy commanded, her eyes narrowing. "Don't bother with taking prisoners just kill them. We have to get back to Magix to help Icy."

Valen's eyes widened as the woman got closer and closer to the desk. He tugged on March's arm, and he nodded in agreement. Whatever they needed to do to distract her, it needed to be done fast. Tori cringed, and one of her wings started fluttering, a small amount of fairy dust catching the dim light as it fell to the ground. Valen's eyes shot up to Stormy in fear, hoping she hadn't caught it.

To his utter horror, she was staring right at him, grinning wickedly.

"Oh Darcy," Stormy said in an overly sweet voice. "I think I –"

"Time frame freeze!"

As soon as Tori heard the words, Stormy stopped cold. Not just her sentence, but her entire body. She hesitantly glanced over at Darcy, and found her frozen as well. Tori raised her hand to make sure she was still able to move, as Valen and March did the same.

"All right, kid," a voice spoke from behind them, "I know you're in here. Come on out."

March sighed in relief, and with a nod to the others stood up. Tori watched as he went to the woman in the doorway and hugged her tightly. "You're a lifesaver, Aunt Tecna."

The woman chuckled. "Funny how you only say that when I'm saving you from impending doom."

"Not always," he replied, letting her go. He turned and smiled at the twins. "Tecna, this is Tori and Valen. Guys, this is Tecna. Former Winx Club member, head of Omega Dimension safety, and the best hacker you'll ever meet."

Tecna gave them a onceover, her eyes flickering when they landed on Tori. "Well," she said after a few moments, her voice surprisingly calm. "I almost wish I could say I'm doubtful, but it'd be a lie." A smile spread across her face. "You both look so much like Bloom."

The comment made Tori smile a little. "Thanks."

The older woman nodded. "Now then, does anyone want to tell me what this is all about?"

Valen did – in an abbreviated version. Tori divided her time between adding details and watching the witches behind her to make sure they didn't come to life while she wasn't paying attention. It wasn't that she didn't trust Tecna; it was that she didn't trust the witches. By the time Valen was finishing the story, they'd all moved to stand around the chamber where Baltor was.

"…And so we have to get him out of there and try and stop Icy." Valen concluded, casting a worried glance at the chamber. He could feel the cold radiating off of it, and wondered how Baltor could ever stand it. "I know you don't trust him, but…we need him."

The pink haired woman placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "All right."

March's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "You'll help us? That's –"

"Hold up, hot shot. I said I'd help, but that doesn't mean I can." She tapped at a few controls on the chamber, looking upset. "Sky personally set up this chamber. It's voice control, and I don't have any codes that can override it."

Valen and Tori exchanged a knowing look. "We can fix that."

Tecna raised an eyebrow. "And how do you propose to do that? Do you have a recording of him saying 'defrost prisoner?'"

Tori smirked. "Step aside, dearie. Let me show you why Valen and I were the best local band on the west coast."

Both Tecna and March looked skeptical, but nevertheless they moved off, letting Tori get a good look at the control panel. She pressed a button, and an automated voice sounded. "Please state request."

Bloom's daughter cleared her throat. "Defrost Prisoner." She said, her voice sounding exactly like Sky's.

The machine beeped, and a green light flashed from the panel. "Access granted. Defrosting prisoner."

Tecna's jaw dropped. "How did you do that?"

"I'm talented." Tori responded, taking a step back from the machine so Baltor would have room to step out.

"Or a freak," Valen shrugged. "Depends on how you look at the situation."

From the direction of the chamber, there was an amused chuckle. "Shouldn't you be a bit more kind to your sister?"

Tori's head snapped to her father. He was gripping the sides of the chamber for support, as though his legs weren't quite ready to function yet. He cast an annoyed glance at Tecna. "Would it have killed you to use less sedation on me?"

Tecna's eyes narrowed and she clicked her tongue; like Musa and Flora, she obviously didn't like him. But unlike the others, she held her composure. "Nothing personal. You kill me, I kill you; fair's fair."

He gave her a dry smile. "Kick a man while he's down; that's very you."

"Would you prefer I actually kick you?"

"I wouldn't, actually. How much longer until I can walk?"

"It'll take a few minutes for your nerves to restart." She replied, eyeing him curiously.

Baltor didn't respond, but slowly lifted his leg and took a step down from the chamber. His stance was shaky, and his knuckles white from gripping the metal sides, but his face was determined. Valen raised an eyebrow. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"Like shit," he replied, a familiar smirk crossing his face. "And as much as I'd like to believe you broke me out of here because you care, I'm assuming there's another reason."

March chuckled and pointed to a frozen Darcy behind him. "A fairly good one."

If Baltor was surprised, he didn't show it. "She's gained weight." He said simply as he tried to walk on his own without gripping the chamber. It was a poor decision, as his left leg gave out the minute it had to support him.

Tecna rushed forward and grabbed him, looping an arm around his shoulders. She grunted in annoyance. "Yeah, _she's_ gained weight. Grab me that office chair, March."

He obeyed, and after a bit of readjusting Baltor was sitting comfortably, rubbing his temples. "How long have I been out?" he muttered. "I remember everything in Light Rock…"

"It's been a day." Valen said. "And we're in major trouble."

"Big surprise. What's going on?"

"Mom's under a spell that's made her fall back in love with Sky. They're currently in Magix, and are about to tie the knot."

Baltor stopped rubbing his temples. "Getting married, you mean?"

"Yes. Now, Ali figured out how to reverse the spell, but we're missing a key ingredient. An ingredient only Lia knows. And she's being held on the private hospital in Eraklyon under close guard."

"Use the passages."

"_You_ stole the schematics for the passages years ago. We need your help to get in. Plus you're the only person Lia might listen to."

"…I won't deny you there. But what are we supposed to do once we get the final ingredient?"

"Tell Ali, let her finish the potion, cure Bloom, and stop the Trix before they enslave the entire universe."

Tecna raised an eyebrow. "Did we sound this crazy when we were teenagers?"

"Mostly," Baltor said nonchalantly. He gripped the arms of the chair and slowly stood, this time managing to stay on his feet. "How much longer until the witches unfreeze?"

March glanced at them thoughtfully. "I've studied the spell Tecna used. It usually lasts for about fifteen minutes, right?" he looked toward her, and she nodded in approval.

"We should be out of here by then."

Tecna crossed her arms and glared at Baltor. "I'm going with you."

"No your not."

"Baltor I –"

"Tecna, _listen_ to me," Baltor snapped, gripping her arms. "If Icy _is_ planning to launch this spell, Zenith is our best line of defense. You're the furthest planet from Magix, and you have a lot of shields up around the main cities. You and Timmy need to start taking this thing down from the inside; make it public, warn planets, get protection shield up. We're on the eve of war, my dear, and there's no time to waste."

She glared at him for a moment, but she finally sighed. "Never thought I'd say this; you're right." She stepped away from him and started tapping her finger against the side of her head; deep in thought." Ok…we can use the teleports in the main offices to get out of here. Preferably before the witches wake up. You can get to the outskirts of the Eraklyon Palace, and I can get to City Center and start working with Timmy."

"I've got an extra headset," March spoke up. "So she can keep in touch with us."

Baltor nodded. "Sounds good to me. Let's get moving."

Everyone nodded and started to head out (not before Baltor shot down the cameras in the room). Just before Tori and Valen were out the door, Baltor pulled them both back, so they were alone in the room. "I want to thank you both." He said, his eyes flickering between the two. "For helping me. Especially with…all that's happened."

Valen didn't look impressed, but he nodded. "Family sticks together, right? Even if they hate each other." He walked out the door before he could respond, leaving Tori alone with Baltor.

"You've been quiet," her father remarked.

Tori realized she hadn't spoken since unlocking the chamber. "I was just… thinking, I guess. You sure have a lot of enemies."

"And rightly so. I'm not on everyone's favorites list."

"I've noticed." Her eyes fell down to the floor. "I'm really glad you're ok, Dad."

It was silent for a few moments, and Tori worried it was a bad idea to call him 'Dad'. She was about to speak up, when she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders. "Just like I'm glad you're ok," he said softly, kissing her forehead. "Now, let's finish this, shall we?"

"Agreed."

* * *

><p>"Ugh, how ridiculous is this?" Ali asked as she peered out the window of the car, waiting for the rest of the paparazzi to disperse. She stayed low to the floor "They already got the shots of Bloom and Sky; why are they waiting?"<p>

"Because they think we're around here." Alec replied. "Hey come on; we've been hiding here for like twenty minutes. It can't be much longer."

"I hope you're right."

A static noise came from the earpiece. "Ali? Alec? You guys there?"

"We're here March," Alec said. "How's it going?"

"Good. Baltor's out, we've got Tecna on our side, and we're heading for Eraklyon."

Ali raised an eyebrow. "Who's Tecna?"

"Seriously? What kind of spy are you?" Alec hit her upside the head, and she glared at him. "Tecna was a Winx Club member."

"Right," March said. "She's working on trying to make this public. If she gets anything big she'll call."

"Awesome."

"What about your end?"

Ali raised her head to look out the window again. "We've been hiding in the car to avoid the paparazzi; if they know where we are, Icy probably does too. So we're keeping a low profile. It looks like we can head into the building now."

"Sounds great. We'll message you once we're on Eraklyon."

"Got it. Good luck you guys."

"You too."

The signal cut off, and Alison and Alec got out of the car as the last photographer sped away in his car. The young girl's eyes followed the sleek building all the way up to where it disappeared into the clouds. "This is crazy…" she muttered.

"It may be," Alec replied as they started climbing the stairs, "but it's all we've got. Let's just –"

Ali didn't know what he was going to say, but he never finished it. The moment Alec's hand touched the door, he was thrown back with a brutal force. Alison barely managed to catch his arm before he went tumbling down the stairs. She looked back to the building and saw a purplish ripple where Alec's hand had touched the door. "What the hell…"

"What _was_ that?" The prince of Eraklyon asked, looking shocked.

"…I think it's a forcefield." She carefully reached out her hand out to brush her fingers a few inches away from the door. A purple ripple spread out, confirming her thoughts. "This is the Brotherhood's handiwork. I can tell by the coloring; dark forcfield spells tend to look more purplish than blue."

Alec looked equally curious. "Around the whole building?"

"I think so."

"But that doesn't make sense? Why would they do that? To keep Bloom and Sky from getting out?"

It was becoming eerily quiet, as though a force was settling around them. "Maybe," Ali said slowly, watching as the clouds moved to completely cover the sun in the low horizon, "it's meant to keep something from getting _in_."

Slowly, Alec stopped and looked around. "…Something like what?"

For the second time that week, the ground shook. Ali reached out and grabbed the railing of the stairs, and Alec grabbed Alison. They watched in shock as the ground literally started _morphing_, dark shapes rising up and detaching from the ground. They were insect looking, making horrible clicking and buzzing noises as they tested out their new limbs. Alison watched as one of the larger ones turned to a nearby car and started eating the bumper.

A nauseous feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. "I'm going to be sick." She said shakily. "I _hate_ bugs."

Next to her, Alec was muttering under his breath. "No…no she couldn't have – it's impossible…"

Alison cleared her throat. "Alec…what _are_ they?"

He didn't pay attention to her. "God…with Baltor's power – already infused with darkness, and she still would've had the Whisperean Crystals…"

"Alec! English please!"

The boy gulped, and Alison knew whatever he was about to tell her wasn't good. And the minute he spoke, Alison wished she'd never asked in the first place.

"Icy's re-raised the Army of Decay."

* * *

><p><strong>*insert dramatic music here*<strong>

**So...yeah! Tecna's part of our tag-team now! She never gets any love in the series, but she does in the hearts of the fanfiction community! Hopefully she'll whip out some badass stuff to aid our young heros.**

**I must again give inspirational credit to my little cousin Eliza, who was also responsible for the Tower of Terror mayhem in the faraway land of chapter 3. I've personally wanted to see the return of the Army of Decay as well, just because it was so awesome and, you know, _final battle-y_! We haven't had something like that again in the series (Shadow Monsters get an honorable mention, but they aren't as terrifying, IMHO). And who missed Darcy and Stormy? You can't have a story with just _one_ member of the Trix. Come on, guys. ;-)**

**And, last but not least, it's contest time! Yay! You see, we have some dark foreshadowing in our midst involving one of our beloved characters and the fate they might meet *insert even more dramatic piano solo here*! Can YOU figure it out? It's very small and far between (you'd have to have been paying very close attention over multiple chapters), but your friend Alec might have just given you a clue... If you can correctly tell me, you'll get the rest of the chapters of High Hopes in Velvet Ropes a day in advance, as well as a billion shout outs for being so clever! (Note, this can be submitted either by review or PM, if you'd rather keep your cleverness to yourself.)**

**I also highly recommend you review. There are only four opportunities left, after all, and it really makes my day...**

**Later, all! (and good luck!)**

**ember**


	12. High Hopes In Velvet Ropes

"On your right!"

Ali briefly glanced over her shoulder before she started firing shots in the general direction of the monsters. Some beams hit the monsters head on, and other's were way off. She sighed in annoyance but didn't let it get to her. She was flying at about thirty miles an hour through downtown Magix, after all, and she had to be sure not to hit Alec, who was following her on a motorcycle he'd…borrowed.

Most of the civilians had fled as soon as the creatures started to show up, but she'd seen a few who weren't so lucky. A knot in her stomach twisted, and she prayed that the Army of Decay was only in Magix. If they'd gone to Earth, if they'd found her family…she could almost picture her little brother scared out of his mind as they busted though the windows in the game room, the stunned look on Melissa's face as they came into her dorm at the college, ready to strike. What would her parents think, if they knew their own daughter was responsible for the death of so many lives across the universe?

"Alison!"

She was shaken out of her memories by the feeling of something heavy latching onto her leg. Her skin starting crawling as she whipped her hair around to look at whatever it was, her worst fears confirmed when she saw a Shadow Monster. She fired a blast at it, but the dark energy seemed to make it grow even larger.

"Get off me, you little creep!"

It make a clicking sound in response, and almost seemed to smirk as the face of the creature melted away, leaving what looked like a dark brown blob on her leg.

Alec lowered the speed of his bike, and Ali flew down so she was next to him. "We need a plan!" she yelled over the loud wind that seemed to come with the monsters.

"There's a branch of old catacombs running under the city. If I remember correctly there's one from the hidden Red Fountain base to the courthouse. Assuming Icy doesn't know about it, we could use it to get in there."

Ali nodded. "I like it. So where do we go from here –"

She stopped short as a jarring pain swept through her leg. It felt like someone was pouring acid on it, the flesh slowly melting off. Her wings stopped working, and she crashed to the ground, skidding on the concrete. The girl barely managed to lift her head and glance down at her leg. The dark mass of what she thought was a dead Shadow monster was bubbling, a sizzling sound coming from it. After a moment the sound increased, and the pain was suddenly much more intense.

She screamed, the woozy feeling of magic draining from her system coming over her like a wave. Her fairy form flickered before it dissipated, leaving the creature to start eating through her clothes.

"Hold still!" before she could protest, Alec had a bright white sword in his hand, and was holding her leg still. He quickly and accurately ran the blade parallel to her leg, slicing the creature. There was an inhuman scream from it, and it faded into dust.

Ali took a few uneven breaths, too fearful to look at her leg. "What…what _was_ that?"

"A Phantom Blade made from the light of Solaria and blessed by Arcadia. It's poisonous to them."

"Great," she gulped, feeling her stomach churning. "How bad is my leg?"

"…It could be worse. How do you feel?"

"Like I'm going to be sick." She tried to will herself back into her fairy form, but it wasn't working. "I think that thing drained my powers."

Alec nodded. "These guys are a lot more advanced than when Icy summoned them seventeen years ago."

"How so?"

"Probes were sent into their realm, and Red Fountain has been studying them closely. That's how I knew that sword would hurt them." He carefully manipulated Alison into his arms and stood, as though she didn't weigh anything. "It used to be the only way to kill these guys was by defeating the person who had control over it."

The girl raised an eyebrow. "So…they've adapted a weakness?"

"Partially. It's the idea of them latching on to a person and draining their powers that worries me." Alison continued to give him a confused look, and with a sigh he continued. "Theoretically, if they can drain magical energy, they can drain other forms of it too. Life forces."

Her eyes widened. "So…those things can kill us?"

"They won't kill you. But they will replace your life force with theirs. That includes DNA, brain patterns…they'll convert you into a creature like them."

"So all those people we saw –" she stopped midsentence, feeling bile rise in the back of her throat.

Alec smiled sadly. "Don't get sick on me now."

"I'm fine," she shot back, though her voice sounded like she was anything but.

"Sure you are." If Alec wanted to make a snide comment, he held off on it, helping get Alison onto the motorcycle. He climbed on in front of her. "Hang on tight. It'll take us about ten minutes to get there."

Weakly, she wrapped her arms around him. "And when we do get there?"

"Hopefully you'll feel well enough to start mixing that potion. Tori should radio me the final ingredient soon."

"And if she doesn't?"

Alec sighed and patted her hand. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

* * *

><p>"You'll need to take a right up here," Baltor said, his eyes focused on the blueprints in his hands. The old hallways they were in were dim and covered with cobwebs from the decades of disuse. "According to the files March took from the front desk, Lia's in room 403."<p>

Valen glanced around the area, chills racing down his spine. "What were these old hallways used for?"

"The staff of the hospital mostly. This place was reserved for royalty and members of the Eraklyon court only. Besides doctors, the nurses and workers were just middle class. They weren't allowed around the royals."

"That sounds stupid."

"Hmm," his father agreed. "Most Eraklyon laws are."

"I wonder who we can blame for that."

Baltor sighed as they took the appropriate turn. "It's not completely Sky's fault. Most of these laws were in place before his parents were even born, and Eraklyon loves to flaunt their old rules in the face of the dimension."

"Can't they be changed?"

"Not without approval from the court." March said. "And that would never happen in a million years."

"Yes. But we have other matters to worry about." Baltor had come to a stop in front of what looked like a door. There was a number above it, but it was too faded to make anything out. "This should be the door."

Valen took a deep breath. "No use hiding out here like cowards."

With that, he pushed on it, and it opened it with a small creak.

The room they'd been dropped off in looked like a typical hospital room on Earth. There were dull colored walls, a small TV, a few chairs, and in the center of the room, a bed with a person resting in, eyes fixed dully on the closed window. Monitors of all shapes and sizes were around her, making various beeping noises and showing lines jumping up and down.

Lia's gaze slowly came to rest on Baltor, her face devoid of both makeup and emotion. "Well what a surprise." Unlike Icy's voice, Lia's was still strong, with a trace of sarcasm.

Tori raised an eyebrow. "Your records say you're on life support."

Her gaze shifted to the young girl, and she held up a trembling arm, which was covered in skintight black fabric. "Welcome to the modern world, love. These are the newest forms of 'life support' from Zenith. Metal plates in the chest contract and relax so you breathe, it's hooked up to the machines wirelessly, and will restart your heart if necessary."

Valen huffed. "Pretty nice digs for a prisoner."

"Hmm. Well if you've heard anything from Sky, you know he doesn't plan to keep me alive for long. Now," with some difficulty, she sat up in the bed. "As sweet as it would be if you came to give your final goodbyes…I'm assuming there's another reason."

Baltor nodded. "And you know what it is. The final ingredient of the reversal for the hypnosis."

"It also wouldn't hurt if you told us where Icy's planning to launch this spell in Magix, either." March added.

"And just so you know, we aren't in the mood for games."

"Hmm, yes; your precarious little situation is far less than amusing," Lia agreed dully, examining her nails. Tori watched as a slow smirk spread across her face, guile seeping out of her and taking over the space around them. She still wasn't to be trusted; that much was obvious. "However, I doubt I can be of much service."

"Are you deaf? We need the final ingredient in the potion to tell Alison."

With _that_ comment, Lia's eyes widened. "Alison? She's –" as abruptly as she started talking, she stopped, her face returning to its neutral expression. "What makes you think Alison can get the potion to Bloom in time."

"She's on our side now," Valen said, his voice hard. "She's not your little servant anymore."

A familiar smirk spread across her face, her eyes turning to Baltor. "What is it with your bloodline falling in love with women who'll never love them back?"

"What is it with _you_ and not giving straight answers?"

Lia laughed. "Please. You taught me that when I was a child. _You_ of all people should know that, Baltor. You were over at the house every day talking to my father. My mother thought you were charming; _I_ idolized you. And we always thought you cared in returned. Look how well that turned out."

The childrens' gaze fell to Baltor, who for once looked a bit pained. "I care about you Lia – I always have. But I can't help but think that part of you is dead, killed off by the very thing that killed Archimedes. And if I can stop it from taking over what might be left of you, I'll damn well try."

She huffed. "Please. You don't know anything about me anymore."

"Just give it up Lia!" Tori finally snapped. "We know your plan, you're going to die, and Alison's on our side. The game's over. You tell us what we need to know, and everyone goes home."

Tori wasn't surprised she was completely ignored. Instead, the woman remained focused on Baltor. "You know," she said softly, staring at Baltor. "A little bird told me an odd thing a few days ago." A small, cold smirk crossed her face. "'The noble will die for what is right.'"

March's eyes widened, and a moment later his face darkened. Tori placed a hand on his shoulder, silently asking for an explanation. He sighed. "The macaw in my house – the bird that you said conned you? That's his favorite phrase."

"I'm assuming you didn't buy him in a pet store," Baltor remarked dully, his eyes on Lia. Tori could tell he was deep in thought over something, but she didn't know what.

March shook his head. "He just showed up on our windowsill one day. It's a common occurrence on Limphea, and there are certain species of birds that learn how to talk without human training; we assumed he was one of those cases. But now I'm assuming," he continued, his eyes narrowing at Lia. "It was a present from _you_."

"That's how you knew we were going to Magix that first night, wasn't it?" Tori asked.

Lia's smirk widened. "How else? The Brotherhood had tabs on all of you for a very long time. We had the bird, we had Alison, media references on Eraklyon, and the knowledge Baltor was Earth. All fantastic deals; even the bird. Got him from a old fortune teller lady; swore the little creature could see the future."

Baltor shook his head. "I'm not surprised."

She smirked. "Were you ever with me?"

He gave her a deathly look. "If you hurt her – if you hurt _any _of them –"

"You'll have me head? A fate worse than death? Throw me into Shadowhaunt? You must realize how little a threat like that can mean to a girl with dark energy in her veins." she scoffed. "Please. You must have better threats than that."

March practically growled. "Fine. What about this one; we have someone on call on Zenith, just waiting to make this thing public to the entire magical universe. Solaria and Eraklyon send reinforcements to Magix, and we squash your little army like the bug it is. Eraklyon keeps you alive, and you get tried under acts of terrorism and affiliation with the Trix. You're found guilty, get your powers stripped, and go to jail for the rest of your life."

"Do you really think the media will stop us? Or the supposedly great 'royal court'?" Lia chuckled darkly. "You all place such high hopes in velvet ropes, when the people who're in there need the most help. When they're out of the way, they'll make room for a new order. A better one."

"Better?" Baltor scoffed. "Oh please; the entire _universe_ is in danger, Lia. Think about this; you swore your loyalty to the Trix and the Brotherhood of Redemption, and this is how they repay you? They're leaving you here to rot. Now is that really fair?" she didn't say anything, so Baltor pushed on. "This is a chance to help fix what you've done; to make things right."

Tori though her father was on a roll, but after a glance at the blonde woman on the hospital bed she saw he went too far. Lia's eyes were narrowed to a deathly glare. "You _dare_ think this is my fault, when you're equally to blame?" she spat.

"_I_ didn't kidnap Bloom or try to murder my own children in a pathetic attempt to avenge your father. That was your own doing. I had nothing to do with it."

"You had everything to do with it! If you'd just left well enough alone, none of this would be happening! If you hadn't insisted my mother leave, my father's drive to unlock the dark Dragon Flame would've blown over with time. He wouldn't have become Lord Darkar, the Trix would've stayed in Light Rock, _you_ wouldn't have broken out of the Omega Dimension, and Bloom would've never had to worry about things like this!"

Baltor fell silent, obviously seething with anger. Lia didn't seem to notice, or if she did chose to ignore it. "When I look at you Baltor, do you know what I see? I see the treacherous seducer of young women. I can mark the rankings of jealously and unrequited love attempted to be hid because of what you've done. I see the workings of battle, pestilence, and tyranny. I see the world falling apart outside this room, and I know that _you_ are responsible for it because you don't know how to stop _wanting_. And look what it's caused."

Tori squeezed her eyes shut tightly and bit her lip, mentally cringing at the explosion that was sure to come from her father. But she only heard silence. After a moment she opened one eye and glanced at him.

Her father's jaw was still clenched, his hands balled into fists at his sides. In fact, the only real difference in him were his eyes. They looked so… pained. Tori could suddenly see so many different emotions swimming in those gold eyes; anger, denial, sadness, guilt. She couldn't imagine holding that in for so long.

It seemed like hours before Baltor spoke again, and when he did, his voice was cold and painful. "You think I don't know that? You think I haven't realized that if I'd let Bloom go all those years ago she'd have been _happy_? And I don't blame myself?" He gave a low chuckle. "Well, perhaps I've finally met someone who has a lower opinion of me than I do."

Tori and Valen exchanged a look.

"But it's too late to wallow in self pity and 'what ifs' now," he continued. Something in the voice seemed to be getting stronger. "Because right now the whole universe is in danger because _you_ don't know how to control your anger. And you involved people I care about, and I'm not okay with it. So let me ask you this; are you going to allow yourself to die nameless and let the world fall to hell, or are you going to suck it up and finally take responsibility for what you've done?"

She just stared at him.

Baltor rolled his eyes, and turned away from her, heading back to the entrance of the passageway. "She obviously won't help us."

Valen raised an eyebrow. "Then what to we do?"

"Radio Alison. Tell her to make a scientifically wild-ass guess. We've got bigger issues to worry about now. If we can –"

"Wait."

Lia's voice surprised them. Baltor raised an eyebrow and glanced back at her. "What?"

She grit her teeth, and reached out to open the drawer on the nightstand next to the bed. She rummaged around for a moment, and pulled out a clear glass vial. There was a purplish gas in it that swirled into numerous shapes. "Here."

With purposely slow steps, Baltor walked back to Lia's bedside, taking the container from her hands. "What is it?"

"Popularis Pop."

Baltor had been holding the vial close to his face, examining the contents. When Lia identified it, he jerked back as though he'd been stung. "Are you out of your mind, carrying this stuff around like that? Never mind putting it in a spell?"

"Like what?" Tori asked. "What's Popularis Pop?"

A familiar smirk crossed Lia's face. "There's a form of it on Earth…ecstasy might be the name of it. It was brought to the dimension on years ago, and people starting experimenting on it with some…interesting results."

Valen raised an eyebrow. "Is it still a hallucinogenic?"

"Oh you hallucinate all right. But on a much more…personal level."

"We aren't here for a history lesson," Tori said. "What does it _do_?"

Lia rolled her eyes. "You want me to be blunt? Fine; that is pretty much uncontrollable sex in a bottle. You inhale a little bit of the fumes and you're ancient history. Completely inner pleasure."

Tori's eyes widened. "So...it's like a pheromone or something?"

"But about a thousand times stronger," Baltor said. His thumb was pressed against the cork of the vial, as though hoping to keep the gases there. "Even a faint whiff of this stuff can put you in a haze for hours. And it's very easy to overdose on. A bottle this size, for example, could probably kill us all, plus a few."

March was nodding. "They use it as more of a date rape drug. As well as a good suicide option."

The blond woman merely shrugged. "Who wants to die in pain?"

"But why use it in a hypnosis spell?"

"Because it's strong magic. Having that introduced into a person's body jumpstarts a lot of different nerves and functions very quickly. The brain suddenly has to focus completely on getting your libido under control. And; pop! The hypnosis spell flips off like a switch."

Baltor glared at her. "That's suicide."

"Precisely why it's there. Don't worry, it isn't needed in the initial mixture for the cure. It can be given at any time after and it will undo the spell. But I would hurry," Lia continued, glancing at the clock on the wall. "You only have three hours until Icy launches the spell from the top of the Magix City Center."

Everyone glanced at each other. "What about you?" Valen asked after a moment, eyeing the monitors next to her. "What's going to happen to you when Icy finds out you sold her out?"

For what may have been the first time, Lia smiled. "It's a bit late for me Valentine. Whether it be Icy or my own body, I'm fairly sure something will send me to grave tonight."

The sound of footsteps echoed from down the hall. Tori could hear the voices of the two guards, along with an unfamiliar one talking about orders he'd received from the palace. Lia's face darkened, and she quickly fell back against the pillows. "Go," she hissed, casting a look in the direction of the noise.

"But we –"

"You have what you came for! Now go!"

"They're coming to kill you, aren't they?" Tori asked, her voice a lot stronger than how she felt. "Orders from the palace; that's Sky?"

For a moment, the calm composure on her face fell, and Tori saw a terrified young woman where Lia once stood. She cast a long look at Baltor, as though communicating something to him. "Get out while you've got a chance."

Whatever it was, he understood. "You heard her," Baltor said. His voice was oddly calm as he approached Lia's bedside. "We've got to get to Magix as soon as possible. Start heading back through the tunnels."

Valen raised an eyebrow. "What about…"

"I'll join you shortly."

Tori glanced from her father to her brother. "Dad, are you sure?"

"Positive darling." He replied, taking Lia's hand. Whatever he was planning, he didn't want her to know.

She turned to March, who merely shrugged. "It'll take some energy to get a portal working. Care to help me out, guys?"

Nobody objected.

They went back into the tunnels, leaving the door open just a crack so Baltor could get back. Just as they were about to round the corner, March placed a hand on Tori's shoulder, stopping them both. "I'm sure Valen and I can handle it," he said, giving her a wink. "Find out what's up."

Tori grinned and hugged him. "You're the best, March." She whispered before turning back around.

When she got back to the end of the route, she peered through the small slit between the door and the wall, focusing and refocusing her eyes until they came to rest on the bed. The sound of footsteps was still far off, and seemed even further when she saw what was happing in front of her.

Lia was clutching Baltor's hand, her face twisted in an odd look of pain and pleasure. She was gasping, but obviously trying to make as little noise as possible. Next to her, Tori's father looked oddly calm, using his free hand to stroke her hair. "Just breathe," he was saying softly. "It's going to be all right, Lia…you're all right…"

The young girl watched in shock as he brought his hand close to her face, keeping it steady near her mouth. She could just see the vial of Popularis Pop in his hand. Glancing at the small table beside the bed, she saw the cork resting there, the bottom of it stained purple.

_Who would want to die in pain_?

Tori said a silent prayer and went back down the tunnel. She got halfway around the corner before she heard the monitors start beeping.

* * *

><p>"Alec?"<p>

"…Yeah?"

"Do you get the feeling there's something seriously wrong here?"

Alec glanced around the lobby of the courthouse, though it didn't seem to make his vision any better. The entire floor, and the people, were drenched in a purple light. It was as though someone had poured a pitcher of grape juice all over the place. "Yeah…" Alec repeated, blinking rapidly to see if it would help clear his vision.

It didn't.

"It might be part of Icy's hypnosis spell."

"What? It doesn't dig any color that isn't purple?"

Ali hit the side of his head. Despite her leg being in a good amount of pain (Alec had offered her some morphine, but she'd stubbornly denied it; Mom, why did you have to be a drug-hating, hippie-loving pharmacist?), she felt relatively alright. "I mean, she may just have direct control of the building, to make sure Bloom and Sky don't get in her way."

Alec was quiet for a moment. "That makes sense."

"No shit –"

"No shit, Sherlock, I _know_." Alec rolled his eyes and headed for the stairwell. "What is it with you California girls saying that? What, did you inhale so much marijuana smoke that's the only sarcastic comeback you know?"

"We don't all smoke pot!" Alison called, slightly defensive as she raced to catch up with him. "Just like every royal on Eraklyon isn't a greedy, self-centered douche bag."

He smirked as they started climbing stairs to the next floor. "It's nice to know your opinion of me has improved since the first time we met."

Ali shrugged, trying to be nonchalant. "You aren't bad. Especially since you have to put up with people like your father."

"Hmm…" he agreed. They reached the top of the stairs and entered the second floor, everything in their line of sight still a deep purple. "Why isn't this effecting us?"

"Because we entered the area after the spell was placed. It's specific to the elements in the building right here, right now."

"So what'll happen when we change the 'properties' of Bloom when we give her the anti-potion?"

"Hopefully the building will release her. But as for the kind of shape she'll be in with two different though patterns fighting in her head…that's a mystery."

The device in Alec's ear beeped. "You guys there?"

Alison nodded. "We're here, Valen. What's up?"

"We've got the final ingredients. Some kind of drug called Popularis Pop."

The two exchanged a glance. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. We've got a huge sample."

"How huge?" Alec asked. "That stuff is rare."

"Well, we still have a deadly dose, and considering Baltor just used it to kill Lia, I'm thinking it's the real deal."

Ali stopped dead in her tracks. "Lia's dead?"

"Like a doornail." Tori's voice was the only noise on the line. "I think she sort of asked Dad to do it. They were about to take her off life support anyway. She had major internal problems." There was a pause. "I'm sorry, Ali. I mean, if she meant anything –"

"No, no. I'm just…surprised. She survived a lot."

"I'm sure."

The blonde girl shook her head. "Oh well. It's the past now. How far back are you guys?"

"We took your advice and landed in the Red Fountain base. We're just coming up on the entrance now."

"Fair warning," Alec said, looking around in disgust. "This place is a pretty horrifying sight. Icy's keeping everyone here under lock and key."

"Big surprise," March chuckled humorlessly. "Have you found Bloom yet?"

They rounded a corner, where a hoard of monochromatic paparazzi stood outside the door, obviously waiting for something. Alec smirked. "Just did. Second floor, room…11A."

"Got it. Be there in a few minutes. And remember; go ahead and give the dose; we need to wait for the spell to enter Mom's system before we give her the Popularis Pop."

"We'll remember. Over and out." Alec took the earpiece from his ear, catching sight of Alison giving him an odd look. He shrugged. "What's wrong with saying 'over and out?'"

She laughed. "Nothing, nothing. Come on; let's go."

It seemed that anyone under the spell was unable to see those unaffected. So when Alec opened the door to the room, not one of the paparazzi looked up at them. They exchanged a glance and shrugged, propping the door open so the others could find them.

The voices in the room were muffled, though Alec could clearly see the outline of his father, Bloom, and a man who he assumed was the priest right in front of them. It was like they were in a different universe looking in on them; a ghost almost.

Ali obviously didn't find it as fascinating as Alec did. "Give me the syringe," she instructed, heading towards Bloom and cautiously placing a hand on her shoulder. The older woman didn't react.

Alec took the shot from his back pocket, uncapped the needle, and handed it to her. "Just for the record," he asked, casting a look to his father, "worst-case scenario in this is…"

"The magic Icy's using and the anti-magic I'm giving her react in a third world war inside her body, tearing her apart from the inside out until Baltor gives her the drug or she dies."

He gulped. "Best case scenario?"

"She wakes up perfectly fine and remembers everything."

"And how likely is that?"

"Hey, it's not like I'm all calm about this either!"

Alec held his hands up in defense. "Sorry, sorry. Go ahead."

Ali rolled her eyes at him and took a deep breath, even though she knew she wasn't the one who'd be needing it. She waited until she saw Bloom take a deep breath, then eased the needle into her arm and depressed the plunger. She held it for a few seconds before she pulled it out, breaking the needle off on a nearby table. She put the syringe down and gripped Alec's hand tightly, her eyes trained on Bloom.

At first, it seemed like nothing happened. Then, ever so slowly, Bloom stopped moving. Ali could see Sky's eyebrows knitting in confusion, and watched as his lips started to form a phrase. _Is everything…_

Bloom doubled over, her mouth wide and her eyes shut tightly. A muffled little whine turned into an agonizing scream as they layer of purple…whatever it was, melted off her, exposing her face, then her shoulders, her legs, until she was life-like and colored. Her spaghetti strap, white dress stood out in contrast to the dark purple surroundings of the room.

Alison rushed over to her, gripping the woman's shoulders tightly. "Bloom?" she said hurriedly, and was relieved when she shivered at the contact. "Can you hear me?"

She screamed again, the sound just as agonizing as the first. Bloom reached out and gripped Ali's forearm, her face tight. "Get it out," she whispered, her voice small and pained and broken. "Get it out of me."

The young girl bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. "It's alright. It won't be too much longer…"

"Get it out of me _now_! Before it…" she trailed off and screamed again.

Alec looked like a deer caught in headlights. "What's happening?"

"Worst case scenario. The two element are fighting for control of her body and mind."

"Well how do we make yours win?"

"We need the Popularis Pop!" Alison put a free hand to her ear, trying to block out the ragged screams. "You have to radio them and see how far away they are!"

"It's not necessary."

Two heads jerked toward the doorway. Though Alison knew it wasn't wise to let go of Bloom now – as well as restore false hope to a relationship that would probably never be – she rushed forward in Valen's arms, her composure already faltering. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tori hugging Alec tightly as well. Apparently she wasn't the only one who though they wouldn't make it this far alive. Her eyes fell to the final member of the party, who was, much to her surprise, looking at her as though she was the girl with the plan.

"What do we need to do?" Baltor asked.

* * *

><p><strong>Ba-bum-bum!<strong>

**So…yeah (I always post these things so late, I never have any author's note inspiration)! This chapter defiantly gave me a hard time, especially with that bit at the end. But hopefully, it was well worth it.**

**First off, hats off to all those who sent me guesses for the little foreshadowing contest last chapter. No one actually got it (one was very close!), which is a bummer, but maybe that means you'll be even more surprised when it happens! …Or want to kill me. Either way.**

**And lastly…the reviewing. I'll be honest, guys;**

**When you don't review this chapter, you feel guilty. When you feel guilty, you try to forget about it. When you try to forget about it, you go shopping at overpriced malls. When you go shopping at overpriced malls, you look for sales. When you look for sales, you get discouraged. When you get discouraged, you go to GameStop. When you go to GameStop, you buy Skyrim. When you play Skyrim, you take an arrow to the knee. Don't take an arrow to the knee. Review the chapter, before the story is over.**

**…I hope someone finds that as clever as I did…**

**ember**


	13. Lovesick Fool

**I have returned!**

**So yeah, after my month-long hiatus I am back with a new chapter for High Hopes. I don't know if I'll have to go back, but for now, I am good and writing!**

**Also, random note, this chapter goes out to Authoress-In-Training as her late birthday present! Happy Birthday, A!f**

* * *

><p>Pain. Everything was pain.<p>

Bloom wasn't aware of anything else around her, only that intense throbbing in her head that seemed to be much clearer that the little twinge she'd felt at the back of her mind that afternoon.

But how could she stop it?

One part of her head kept trying to tell her, but there was something in those thoughts that made her feel like they weren't hers. That they were someone else's. What with talking about crowns and forgetting and skies...

…Though maybe the skies were supposed to mean something else?

Every time she tried to move away from those thoughts, tried to think for herself, the pain got worse…ooh, so much worse. Maybe it would better if she just…just allowed it take control back. And if it meant the pain would stop…

…_Bloom, darling? Just stay with me. Keep fighting. You can do this; I know you can…_

That voice. She knew that voice. She…loved that voice…right?

"_No!" _those thoughts screamed at her, loud and with malice._ "He abandoned you remember? He's never cared for you…"_

She cringed as different voices started talking in her mind, weaving in out, jumbling words, creating a loud mess of thoughts that was almost too much to bear...

…_I don't want pain and destruction, no more that what is needed, at least…_

…I'm_ responsible for Oritel and Miriam's demise…_

…_Agreed. No mercy!_

…_I'm going to take my place as the greatest wizard in the entire magical universe, and you're either with me, or against me._

"_Yeah? Well put me down for against!"_

No… that couldn't be right. It may have started that way, but that wasn't what it was now.

…_Alison, how much longer…_

…_Quit yelling, Valen! It won't make time go faster…_

Valen…Valentine. Valentine and Victoria. The name's seemed old, like they were out of eighteenth century London. And she had chosen them for that reason. But chosen them for what? And why did they remind her of that first voice?

…_Just a few more minutes. I know you can here me in there somewhere you crazy girl. Don't give up. Please Bloom…I already lost you once. I can't do it again…_

It was the first voice again. And there was something in it that struck a chord in her heart. Bloom could feel the pain in there; the love. At that moment the fog in her head cleared, and she knew what she had to do.

"_You don't know what you're saying!" _the voices in her head protested, but they seemed more muffled than before. "_He abandoned you! He never loved you! Listen to me!"_

…_No. He abandoned me because I abandoned him first. And I will _not_ do it again! Get _out of my head, Icy!

* * *

><p>With a large gasp, Bloom jerked into a sitting position, feeling as though something inside her had just snapped. Her vision was a little blurry, and her ears were ringing, but it slowly faded off as different voices became prominent.<p>

"Her pulse is still slightly elevated, but brain function is back to normal…hey, step back guys; step back! Give her some air."

"Alec, go grab a glass of water."

"Valen, go get your Dad and March from the control room. Tell them she's awake."

Bloom blinked rapidly, and when her vision cleared, she saw Tori sitting on the small bed next to her, looking worried. "Mom? Are you ok?"

She started at him for a moment, memories flooding into her head about what she'd told her and Valen in the last few days. A million ideas of what to say raced into her head, but only one managed to escape her mouth. "Did I really tell you I was madly in love with a prick like Sky?"

After a moment, a grin spread across Tori's face, and she threw her arms around her mother. "You wanted me to help pick wedding dresses."

The older woman chuckled a little, relaxing as she realized her children were alright. "What happened?"

"Icy happened."

Bloom turned in the direction of the voice, surprised to find Alison there, looking at a few small monitors next to the bed. She saw there were some small nodes attached to her arms, sending data to the machines. "Would you care to be a bit more specific, Alison?" Bloom asked, her tone cooler than it had previously been.

Tori laid a hand on her shoulder. "Mom, it's ok. She's on our side, and she's more than proven it."

"She has yet to prove it to me."

Ali was used to Bloom's black and white judgment of subjects, but it was a bit nerve-wracking when that judgment was on her, and not in her favor. She cleared her throat. "From what we gathered, Icy placed an advanced hypnosis spell on you, making you fall back in love with Sky so you'd stay out of her way until she launched it dimension-wide, putting everyone under her control. We managed to work up an anti-potion…and I suppose you know the rest."

"How long was I out of it?"

"About a day, since Icy broke out of Light Rock."

"Light Rock?" At the mention of those two words, a certain flashback jolted into Bloom's head, giving her an all to clear picture.

"_I don't care where you take him, just as long as you get him out of my sight."_

"_We're going to ask the courts for a death sentence."_

"Oh my God, Baltor." Bloom put a hand to her mouth. There was a stinging in the back of her eyes. "I sent him to the Omega Dimension. He's probably already been taken there."

Tori looked surprised, but then an odd look of amusement and relief crossed over her face. "Mom –"

"Well, well, well; look who's finally awake."

Bloom's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She turned towards the entrance to the small alcove, and found Baltor standing there, a smirk on his face and a glass of water in his hand that she remembered Tori asking someone to get.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Baltor said, his gaze falling to Alison. "March needs your help to perfect the tracker we're using to locate Icy. Alec and Valentine are already there."

Ali glanced at the monitors. "Alright…you're pulse is leveling out. You should be fine in a few minutes. When you guys are all set, come find us."

Tori glanced between her parents. "And I don't have an excuse to leave you two alone with each other, so I'm going to pretend Dad was talking to me too."

"Smooth," Ali muttered as the two got up and walked out the door.

"What? I had to do _something_!"

Baltor chuckled, walking over to Bloom's besides. He set the glass down and sat on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a train hit me." She replied, reaching over to grab the water. She took a sip, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye but refusing to make eye contact. "I…was worried they wouldn't find you in time."

"So was I. It turns out more of the Winx Club is on my side than I thought. Were it not for your friend Tecna, I more than likely would've been killed by Darcy and Stormy."

She was surprised to hear about Darcy and Stormy; she assumed they would be with Icy. "What happened to the Trix?"

"We left them to Tecna. They've more than likely been taken into custody."

Bloom took another gulp of water. "That's good."

It was quiet for a moment. "Bloom, do I want to know why you refuse to look at me?"

Bloom focused on the half-empty glass on the table, fighting the stinging in her eyes. "I'm afraid I'm going to start crying and blubbering on about how sorry I am."

"Oh, darling." Before she could protest, he took her by the arms and slid her into his lap, as though she weighed no more than a pillow. Baltor wrapped his arms around her, effectively trapping her against his chest. "It wasn't your fault," he whispered soothingly, running his fingers through her hair, working at any knots he came across. "I should've known not to trust a person like Icy for information, regardless of her mental health."

She wrapped her arms around him, listening to his heartbeat. "I ordered them to take you to Omega."

"You couldn't help it."

"I was going to ask the Council to try you for the death penalty."

"I would've gotten away the moment they unfroze me."

"It doesn't matter. I betrayed you fifteen years ago, and it doesn't even take me a full day to do it again. What does that say about me?"

His grip tightened on her. "You can't count actions you had no control over against you. You and I both know everything that happened on Light Rock was out of our control. All that matters is that I have you back in my arms, and I'll be damned if I let go of you again."

A faint blush crept over Bloom cheeks. She glanced up at him and found a small smile on his lips. "I know this is supposed to be the part where I declare my undying love to you in a long and formal speech, and give you a ring that would make Solaria pale. But," He leaned down and gave her a long, deep kiss that left her ears ringing and her brain begging for more. "All I can tell you is that once this is all over, I intended to stay with you for the rest of my life."

Bloom smiled and kissed him again. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Now come on; I'm sure the kids have worked out Icy's location by now."

* * *

><p>With Alison there to provide information about the type of spell the Trix were designing when she worked for them, it didn't take March long to pinpoint the perfect location for the spell to be launched; the Magix Tower.<p>

Baltor knew more about the tower than Bloom did, as it had been built after she left the magic dimension (and Baltor had accidentally stolen some blueprints for it in the Magix Museum). It had been built to 'symbolize the never-ending triumph of good over evil in the magic dimension.'

"Stella voted on naming it Winx Tower," Tecna chuckled over the earpiece. It was surprisingly easy for Bloom to hear her, considering she was zooming through the city on a Levabike at sixty miles an hour. She'd insisted she was fine to drive (hell, she'd jumped through fiery hoops before when they crashed King Radius' wedding), but Baltor and Valen had stubbornly denied it. So she was in the back while Baltor drove, one arm wrapped around his chest and the other holding a Phantom Blade, ready to slice whatever dared to mess with her.

"It may as well have been," Alec remarked dryly. He was riding another bike with Ali. Next to him was Tori and Valen, and March (the only one with his own bike). "Can you tell what's going on in there?"

"I wish. They're too many firewalls. But based on the area around it and the open gardens in the first floor I can see, it's a hotspot."

Bloom groaned. "As if the Shadow Monsters weren't annoying enough the first time…what's the plan, T?"

"Your best bet is to try and trap them all in the conservatory on the first floor. It's in the center of the building; you can't miss it. From there, you should have a clear shot up the elevator shafts. Icy's more than likely on the top floor."

"Good. I want to have a word with her."

Baltor gripped her hand. "Trust me, I do too, but we can't just rush in there. We need to think this through."

"He's right Bloom," Tecna said. "Take it from the king of not-thinking-plans-through."

Everyone laughed. "Thank you Tecna."

"Anytime."

"So with all the Shadow Monsters there," Valen said, sounding slightly nervous, "should we all go in?"

"Definitely not. Some of you should be guarding the perimeter, so that more Shadow Monsters can't enter the building after the ground floor's secure."

Ali chuckled. "I vote for the two boys with the Red Fountain training."

"I'm ok with that," March said. "Alec?"

"I'd rather be outside than in there with Icy."

"Sounds good Tec," Bloom said. "Anything else?"

"Just one thing," she said as they turned the corner to the entrance of Magix Tower. "There is a very real possibility that you won't be able to stop Icy before she launches the spell. If that happens, everyone in at least Magix and possibly Solaria will under her control. Baltor, is there a way for you to mark everyone without them becoming complete slaves to you?"

He chuckled dryly, for a moment sounding very much like the dark man he used to be. "It certainly won't be as much fun…but yes, it is possible."

"Then do it. When that spell goes live, everyone will more than likely be under orders to kill you. Try to get to Zenith as soon as possible if it happens."

"Got it." Tori said. "And Tecna, if it's not too much trouble, could you make a call to some friends of ours in the Resort Realm? Roxy will be steamed if Andy becomes a mindless slave."

"I can do that. What's the number?" Tori rattled off the digits she'd memorized long ago. "Alright, I'll give them a call. You're approaching the vicinity of the Tower barriers. To be undetected, the best thing to do is cut the connection."

Bloom took a deep breath. "Tecna…if we don't get out of this…thank you. For everything. Tell the other girls and the Specialists I love them."

She didn't try to contradict her statement. "You know we love you too. Good luck everyone."

"See you on the other side, Aunt T." March said. The connection cut off just before they reached the tower.

"I don't see any Shadow Monsters." Ali said, slipping her helmet off and looking around.

"They're here." Alec said. "Probably on the other side by the main entrance."

"There's a service entrance behind the bushes somewhere." Baltor said. "I can probably get it open if someone uses a spell to cover me."

"You know I'm with you," Bloom said. "Tori, Valen, Ali; stay here. Alec and March, start patrolling."

"Yes ma'am."

Valen shook Alec's hand. "Watch it out there, man."

"You too. Great to meet you."

"God why are we all so pessimistic?" Ali asked with a smirk. "We're gonna kick ass!"

Alec shook his head and smiled, though it looked forced. "I'm sure you're right." Before anyone could blink, he gave her a kiss on the cheek, then Tori. "Good luck guys. Ready March?"

"I'll go the other way and meet you in the middle."

"Good plan." With that, he lowered the visor of the helmet and sped off.

March shook Valen's hand, and gave Ali a hug. When he got to Tori, they stood and stared at each other for a moment before giving each other a tight hug.

"Good luck in there." He whispered.

"You too. If anything goes wrong, just call."

March chuckled. "I get the feeling you'll be pre-occupied."

Tori smiled a little and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to dull the pleasant tingles running down her arms. "Yeah well, you gotta watch yourself out there, you know?"

She expected him to laugh, but instead he just started at her, genuinely curious. Her gaze fell to her gloved hands, silently cursing her Enchantix for being so revealing (and for about the millionth time). Tori sucked in a breath. "Look I didn't mean to imply –"

She was cut off as March leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, one hand reaching out to cradle her head.

The kiss itself was so unexpected that it almost was expected as the same time. Cautiously, Tori reached up and let her hands rest on March's chest, feeling the rhythm of his heart under her gloved fingertips. He had a distinct taste of mint and something sweet. When they finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers, his hand still cradling her. "When this is over," he said, his voice suddenly a bit more nervous. "I have some things that I…sort of want to talk to you about."

"I think I'd be willing to listen."

March's arms wrapped around her, and he hugged her fiercely. "Be dazzling."

"As if you've come to expect anything else from me."

He chuckled. "I don't." And with that, he turned and headed to catch up with Alec.

Valen stared at her. "Well…that just came right the fuck out of left field."

"Are you nuts?" Ali asked, looking amused. "Alec and I had a bet on it. And in case you're curious, I won."

Tori chuckled. "Gee thanks, Ali."

She stuck her tongue out in response. "You care and you know it."

There was a loud bang from the bushes, along with some smoke. Valen smirked. "I'm guessing they got the door open."

"Yep let's go."

"Magix Survivor," Tori said absently as they started walking. Both Ali and Valen turned to look at her, and she shrugged. "If we get out of this. We should call the band Magix Survivor."

Alison laughed. "I think that's the first decent name you've suggested."

"And right before our possible deaths. How appropriate."

* * *

><p><strong>...yep.<strong>

**So, this chapter was on the shorter side (especially for me), but more because the last chapter is going to be _long_. It's the final battle, after all, and everyone's got a bone to pick with Icy. There are still some dramatic twists and turns to be taken, and we find out what our secret plot twist is.**

**On that note, the contest for guessing what the plot twist _is_is closed. Everyone had great theories, but no one could quite get it. Thanks for participating!**

**After this there are only two chapters...and not to mention that this story is only ten reviews away from hitting the 100 mark...it would really make my day. Just saying ;-)**

**Well, that's about it. Have an awesome week everyone!**

**ember**


	14. Living Louder

****101. 101. I have no words, really. You guys are beyond awesome with your support for this story, and the only way I can show it besides gushing thanks (which you probably don't want to read) is to give you this update; the last full chapter of High Hopes In Velvet Ropes. There will be an epilogue too, which will be posted on Tuesday. But until then, I hope you enjoy this last, action-packed chapter!****

"Ah, welcome, welcome. I was wondering when you'd get here."

The voice coming from the speakers in the main lobby was cold and unlike anything Tori had ever heard of. It sounded…almost inhuman. And it definitely _wasn't_ inviting.

On her left, Baltor straightened up, sparks of magic coming off his fingertips as though he was ready for a fight. "Icy," he called into the empty air.

"So nice to see you made it out of Omega _without_ my help. You know, you really should have thanked me for that."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not here to make amends for events that happened sixteen years ago. I'm here to stop you."

There was a cold laugh. "Ha! Look who thinks they can wear a cape and save the day. In case you haven't noticed, darling, you're on your own here. It's one on one, and somebody told me you're a bit rusty."

Valen raised an eyebrow. "How –"

Bloom shushed him. "With the mark, Icy can't tell we're here. She can only see Baltor's magic."

Tori involuntarily glanced at the inside of her wrist, where the odd looking symbol, almost like a tattoo, was glowing faintly. She could feel a small amount of dark energy pulsing from it, but it was fairly easy to block out. Apparently being marked on the wrist gave a lower dose of the spell, though Tori and Valen thought the idea was ridiculous, they weren't about to question their father. Especially now, when he looked ready to turn Icy into a pile of ash.

"Maybe I'm pulling some tricks from the old days," Baltor was saying, a smirk on his face. "I have a few old friends you and your sisters didn't know about."

"Oh please. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're alone in this battle. Bloom's under my control somewhere in the city, and your children are still on Eraklyon. There are only two people who can help you, and one of them is already dead."

"Lia?"

"Precisely. As for the other one…well, we're cutting back on employees."

Baltor's eyes narrowed. "You're not taking anyone else's life tonight, Icy."

"You seem to forget I have very little regard for human life."

"_You're_ forgetting one thing, Icy. I may have been away from the magic dimension for a while, but I can still take you with one hand tied behind my back."

"You talk like a hero," Icy said, her voice deadly. "But you've got something to learn about heroes, Baltor. Heroes die."

Ali's face went a few shades paler.

"But we know you aren't a hero, are you? Like everything else, you'll run from this and hide in God-knows-where. Because in the end, all you are is a coward."

Tori watched her father's eyes narrow. "It'll be an infinite pleasure to push you off the roof."

"Find me first."

The static of the speakers died down, until it was obvious Icy had cut the connection. But there was still a faint sound in the air. It was a kind of clacking…

"The Shadow Monsters," Ali said, turning towards the source of the noise.

"No problem," Bloom said, producing a fireball in her hand. "I've dealt with them before."

"Did you deal with them when they could wipe your mind and convert you into a Shadow Monster like them?"

Tori saw her mother stop. "…That's a new feature."

"We can handle the Shadow Monsters," Valen said. "You two go ahead and find Icy. Besides, we don't want her knowing we're all here, and your kids no less. We don't need hostages."

Bloom nodded. There was a distinct look of pride in her eyes. "Where did you get so smart?"

"I got it from you. Now go."

She kissed each of their foreheads, and gave Alison a hug. "Watch each others backs."

"You guys, too."

Baltor raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised. No death threat?"

Valen stared at him for a moment. "No death threat," he finally said. "It might be nice to have company when Mom and Tori drag me on shopping trips."

A small smile spread across his face. "Somehow that idea doesn't motivate me."

"Yeah well, it sounds better than dying here."

* * *

><p>The world seems much slower when receiving bad news. Roxy hated that feeling. It was the feeling she had when she thought about Christopher inheriting her magic. It was the feeling she had when the hospital called to tell her Klaus had a heart attack. It was a feeling she'd had long ago when she, Bloom, Mark, and Ryo had found out about the death of Andy's mother, whom they'd all loved dearly.<p>

Now, she sank onto the couch in the hotel room, that feeling overtook her again, despite the seemingly flawless view of the Resort Realm in the window to her left.

"They _what_?"

"Went to face Icy at Magix Tower," Tecna's voice came over the phone, sounding much more calm than Roxy would've liked. Granted, the stories Bloom told about her old pink-haired roommate did make her seem a bit more of a logical thinker, but she didn't expect her to sound so shut off. Especially when telling her news like this.

"How long ago did they leave?"

"Maybe ten minutes."

"Mommy? Are you ok?"

She gave Christopher a kiss on the forehead as she stood, and motioned for him to go into the other room, which he (thankfully) did without question. "I'm on my way. Where's the nearest portal in the Resort Realm?"

The other woman laughed. "Are you crazy? Magix has been quarantined ever since the Shadow Monsters showed up. Planets are shutting down their transportation to power up shield to try and keep Icy's magic from harming them – even though it won't do much good. There's no way you'll be able to get there."

"Then you obviously don't know me very well," Roxy snapped.

"You'll be more of a liability than anything." Tecna continued, sounding so perfectly reasonable Roxy wanted to reach through the phone and strangle her. "You have very little training for your powers, never mind the fact the rest of your family has _no_ training, you don't know what the Trix are like, and you've never fought Shadow Monsters. Honestly, you should just –"

"I'm well aware of what I _should_ do, but what I _won't_ do is leave my best friend and my god-children to fight God-only-knows-what, especially after everything they've done to help me."

Tecna sighed irritably. "I've already talked to Stella and Layla. They're sending troops out there, and they've gone with them to find her."

"And how long will that take?"

"I don't know; an hour, maybe?"

Roxy glanced at Andy, who'd been sitting silently on the couch next to her, listening to the conversation. She was surprised that he hadn't weighed his two cents in yet, or said any slightly sarcastic remarked. It only helped proved the point that this was a big deal and, furthermore, he was terrified. Roxy stared at him until he finally looked back at her, and she saw a deep love for not just her, but Bloom and the kids. "They don't have an hour," he finally whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.

And that was all the support she needed.

"Well while you and your little Winx Club hide like cowards, I'm going to fight."

"But –"

Roxy snapped the phone shut. "I'm not letting anything happen to her." She said to Andy.

"I know."

"You should stay here with Chris."

"I know."

She glanced at him. "Are you alright?"

He smiled sadly, letting his head fall into his hands. "I can't help but blame myself."

Roxy raised an eyebrow and sat down next to him. "For the Shadow Monsters?"

"For everything," he said, taking her hand in his. "All those years ago, if I hadn't let my anger get the best of me at that party, I wouldn't have gotten Bloom mad at me. She wouldn't have gotten mad at me, she wouldn't have gone off on her own the next day instead of hanging out with us…"

Slowly, she understood what he was saying. "You think Bloom wouldn't have found Stella that day."

"And none of this would have happened."

Roxy sighed. "Andy –"

"Think about it. The Trix wouldn't have found the Dragon Fire, and they would have given up their quest for it. They wouldn't have helped that Darkar guy almost take over the world, and Lia probably would've grown up as a normal kid."

"And Baltor would still be frozen in the Omega Dimension, and we wouldn't have Tori and Valen. And you and Bloom wouldn't have broken up, so _we_ couldn't have gotten together."

A smirk spread across his face, and he kissed her hand. "I never said it was _all_ bad."

"And what if the Trix had tracked Bloom down anyway, when she _didn't_ have prior fairy training? You may have unintentionally helped her win that battle

"Hmm," he said, "But thinking about the past won't fix things."

"You're right. That's why I'm going. What?" she asked when she saw the look on his face.

"Just…" he kissed her before she could say anything else, succeeding in making her knees weak while sitting down. "Come back."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"You heard those stories about the Shadow Monsters. What if they…"

"Let me make this clear. I'm not going to leave you, or Chris, or Tori and Valen. I'm going to get them, and I'm coming back. I don't plan to recreate what happened with my mother."

"But Morgana came back."

She smiled and kissed him again. "And so will I."

* * *

><p>"If we trap them in the conservatory, they shouldn't be able to get out for a while. The glass is made with an anti-magic barrier. Not even Shadow Monsters can get under it."<p>

Tori fired a beam towards a particularly large monster that looked like a centipede that was hit with a growth ray. However, the monster only broke up into smaller versions of itself. She let out a few words that her mother would have likely grounded her for, and glanced at Ali. "Which way to we need to drive them?"

The other blonde was trying her best to stay active in the battle, Tori could tell, but without her fairy form the spells she was using were practically worthless. But at least she knew the layout of the tower, apparently learned while working for Lia and the Brotherhood. "The glass door at the end of this hallway leads to the conservatory. If we get them down there, we can lock them in."

Valen sent up a shield as a few of them boldly starting firing acid at them. The floor in front started melting, and Valen cringed, wondering how much longer the shield could hold. "Well, how can we drive them down there?"

"We have to make them think they've got us trapped. They can sense accelerated heartbeats, and when they do they'll track us like a GPS. We move into the conservatory, lock them in, and we can go help your parents."

"So they need to think we're scared?" Tori smirked. "I know I won't be pretending."

"If we go full sprint down the hallways, our heart rate should jump enough for them to follow us."

"Then can I suggest we do it now?" Valen asked, sounding strained. "This acid's about to eat through the shield!"

"Go!"

Nobody had to tell Valen twice. He let the shield drop and turned and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. The monsters seemed surprised, but after a moment started following at a surprisingly fast pace.

The doors to the conservatory opened automatically, leading into a circular room with glass on all sides. Dim light shined down from the skylights above, making the plants an unnaturally dark green color.

When they were inside, Valen conjured up an energy form in the shape of a person, and pushed it to the other side of the room. Without any obvious barriers, the Shadow Monsters would flock to it before going after the rest of them. And sure enough, most of the Shadow Monsters _did_ flock to the energy ball, with a few trying to figure their way out of the enclosed area.

Tori, Valen, and Alison went back through the doors, with Ali using a spell to temporarily secure the doors. Valen started searching the nearby control panel. "Where's the security lock?"

"It should be a green button!" Ali said. She was focusing on keeping the spell active, since her magic was slowly dying out.

His eyes scanned the panel, seeing knobs and keyholes and switches, but no green button to speak of. "It isn't here!"

"What do you mean it isn't there? It has to be!"

Tori's eyes, which were keeping a close eye on the Shadow Monsters to see how they'd react to being trapped, suddenly widened with fear. "Guys," she said, pointing a gloved finger at the conservatory.

Valen looked, following his sisters train of sight until it came upon a control panel in the conservatory, with a keyhole and a single, bright green button. "It locks from the inside."

Alison froze. "That's impossible."

"It's not impossible! Just look, for Christ's sake! It's _in there_, with the monsters."

Tori shook her head. "If we keep them in there without securing the doors, they'll eventually break out. And having a bunch of angry Shadow Monsters after us will only be helping to dig our graves."

"Can we get Alec or March to fly a boomerang through there? Or maybe use one of those personal hero assistant things?"

"No good. It'll compromise the shield. They'll just escape again."

"It's all my fault."

With all the yelling and fast-paced action, Ali's soft words caught Valen off guard. He turned to her, seeing her face set in an odd mixture of shock and agony. The look she was wearing was worrying; it was the look that people had when they realized some grave, unforeseeable event was solely their fault, its weight on their shoulders. "Don't talk like that Alison." Valen said carefully, wondering how much he could say.

"That button was the only possible compromise in the whole tower – like the main vault in the Magix Museum. It can keep people safe, but it can also _trap_ people. If you put a lock inside something, at least one person is in there with whatever you trap. That means whatever's in there is pretty damn dangerous."

Tori also saw where her train of thought was going. "It's not worth it. We can trap them some other way."

"I pointed that out. I told Lia that that button would be the only way the Shadow Monsters could be neutralized. And anyone trapped in there is as good as dead. Or worse – converted to a creature like them."

"Alison," Valen warned. He tried to loosen his legs in case he needed to make a quick jump at her.

"And not just that – I told Lia everything. About Bloom, about you two, about how I always wanted in some way to see you both suffer. And I don't even know why I _did_ want to see it; you two are my best friends. But you always seemed so…superior. Like you owned everything. I just wanted to feel like that. I said I'd help Lia. I used Jason to get Valen jealous, even when I didn't care about either of them. I caused this entire mess and it's all my fault…"

The only sound in the room were from the Shadow Monsters scratching at the glass doors, trying to break free and make their captors pay for caging them. "Though I suppose," Ali continued, her voice still calm, "this is a way to prove how sorry I am. And to show you that I feel guilty for what I did."

"Ali –"

"The shortest recorded time in which a human was transformed into a Shadow Monster was twenty minutes and sixteen seconds. I looked it up while I was mixing the potion for Bloom. You can find the power supply for Icy's spell before then, and hopefully shut it down. Once it goes, Icy goes, and when Icy goes, the monsters go. Funny," her gaze shifted from her friends to the dark creatures starting to swarm in the conservatory, "this seems like a noble thing to do after everything."

_Alison is French; its definition is a noble kind…_

_We're cutting back on employees…_

_The noble will die for what is right…_

_…Alison's still alive?_

"Don't!" Valen screamed.

Alison dropped the spell and raced through the conservatory doors. Tori made a dash for the control panel to keep the doors open. Both girls had run the forty-meter dash in PE together, and despite her best efforts Ali was always two seconds faster. And here, two seconds was the difference between life and death.

The moment Tori's fingers brushed the control panel, an alarm sounded, and the sound of securing deadbolts became prominent. And automated voiced informed them that the conservatory doors had been secured. Valen tried to spot her through the glass of the doors, but most of the monsters were already crowded around her.

Valen pounded at the glass, never feeling so helpless in his entire life. "No! No, no no!"

"Valen –"

"We've got to get her out of there!"

"There isn't a way. The doors can only be unlocked in there."

He felt like crying. This wasn't happening – this couldn't be happening. A week ago none of this was happening; he'd had a loving mother and great friends, and now one of them had practically committed suicide after telling him she'd never liked him as more than a friend. A dark voice in the back of his head told him Alison deserved the pain she was likely to endure, but he pushed it back, disgusted with himself.

Tori had been silent, watching her brother as he threw ideas around in his head. When she was sure he was paying attention again (or as much attention as he could in the situation) she spoke; "Alison was right; if we shut down the power supply for this spell, those monsters will die."

"Is right," he said quietly. "She's not dead." _Yet._

"So let's make sure it stays that way."

Slowly, Valen nodded. Without thinking, he pulled Tori close and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too. You ready?"

He cast a weary look to the conservatory. He couldn't see Alison with all the monsters crowding around her, except for a streak of her blond hair that would flash between two of them sometimes. Though she was indeed strong, she was already weak from the earlier battles. And she had less than twenty minutes.

"I'm ready."

* * *

><p>Seeing Magix in distress was really a beautiful sight. All those years ago when the Shadow Monsters first attacked, there had been so much fear and panic; the streets were merely deserted, and all the monsters were attacking the schools. Now, they roamed the streets freely, destroying anything in their path. There were fires in some of the buildings, smoke billowing up and making the sky darker. Alarms were sounding and people were screaming. It was utter chaos.<p>

"Admiring your work?"

Icy smirked, but didn't turn around. "I'm surprised you aren't. Once upon a time, this was the kind of world you craved."

Baltor kept a close eye on her. The roof of Magix Tower was small already; so much so he kept thinking he saw flashes of red out of the corner of his eye because Bloom wasn't covered enough behind the large antenna on the roof. But he knew well enough with the cloaking spells and the sheer size of the antenna, his lover was safe from Icy. "I never wanted to let the darkness of Shadowhaunt loose in the streets of Magix."

"Right; you didn't want any more pain and suffering than what was needed." She turned to face him, looking bored. "I suppose you've come here to stop me?"

"I was hoping to."

She smiled faintly, proving that even though she was in control of so much power, something in her head wasn't quite right. "Nice to see that your sarcasm is still intact. If only it could do you some good."

"I try my best. Answer me this, my dear." Baltor started to pace the roof, careful to keep his eyes away from where Bloom was hiding. "What happens after this? You can't take the entire magical dimension in one spell; it's physically impossible. And you'll more than likely leave Zenith, which has the most modern military weapons in the whole dimension. And if it gets critical the protocols on Earth are initiated – a planet that craves war. They'll launch nuclear missiles at you. You'll tear the universe apart before you can rule it."

"You would think that, wouldn't you. You used to get it. It's not about the fighting, or the destruction; it's about the _power_. Being able to _rule_ everything that ever existed, not having to answer to anyone. That's what everybody in the universe wants, Baltor. And they all think the only way to get it is by working through the ranks; political parties, financial investment, but those things take _generations_. The only way to get what you want is by force, and that's exactly what I intend to do."

Baltor shook his head. "You didn't fake your way into solitary at Light Rock; you really have gone crazy."

"Maybe. But at least I'll be crazy with a whole universe to rule."

She took a step towards him, and Baltor produced a fireball in his hand. "Not if I knock you off this roof."

Icy just laughed. "Oh Baltor…what happened to that smart man I freed from Omega all those years ago; you cant _kill_ me. I'm not the source of the spell. My power is being duplicated downstairs as we speak, making the spell strong enough to go across the dimension. And as long as my magic is that strong, its impossible for me to be dead."

"Spells like that obviously have a way to cut themselves off."

She smirked. "Yes, they do. But you're all alone, and the shutoff requires two equally balanced parts as a single power source – that means light and dark."

"I'm full of surprises, Icy."

"Oh I know you are. But the funny thing is, you seem to have a case of memory loss. Because one of the first things you ever taught me to do was see past the illusion spells you use."

Baltor's eyes widened, as well as the smirk on Icy's face. "I'm not stupid Baltor. You obviously wouldn't come to face me without the only person whose ever defeated me."

Baltor made a grab for Icy – he didn't know what he intended to do but knew he wanted to leave scars. But she gracefully evaded him and shot a beam towards the antenna. The intensity of it blinded Baltor momentarily, and when his vision cleared he saw Bloom dangling over the side of the building, caught in Icy's magic grip.

* * *

><p>"March? March can you hear me?"<p>

The shock of a voice suddenly coming over the earpiece startled March so much he almost fell off his bike. The Shadow Monsters had been keeping their distance from Magix Tower, and he and Alec intended to keep it that way. But after having dead air for the last fifteen minutes, he'd almost forgotten the earpiece was there. "Tori? Is that you?"

"Yeah. How's it looking out there?"

He glanced around. "Pretty good. I think Icy's the one who gives the monsters orders, and she thinks all the monsters in there are doing their job."

"Good."

"Hey…are you crying? You sound funny."

There was a pause, and Valen's voice came over the line. "If its not too much trouble, we need you guys to head into the tower."

"Why?" March asked. "Did something happen?"

"Where's Alison?" Alec asked, finally jumping into the conversation.

The line was silent.

"Guys," Alec said. March could hear the nervousness in his voice. "Where is she?"

"That's what we need your help with. We want you and March to try and break through the conservatory doors."

"Why?"

"…They only lock from the inside. And Alison locked herself in there with the Shadow Monsters."

March hit the breaks on his bike. "Is she dead?"

Tori took a shaky breath. "We don't know. We had to leave her behind."

"How could you just leave her?" Alec asked. His tone was vicious. "After all she did –"

"We don't have a choice!" Valen snapped. "If we can stop Icy's spell, then the Shadow Monsters will disappear."

Alec's bike came around the bend and stopped next to March. Through the visor on the helmet, March could see Alec wanted to tear something to pieces. "Ok, Tori – you said you found the source for the spell; what does it look like?"

She took a deep breath, getting control of her emotions. "It's like a huge ball of bluish energy, but there's some orange glowing in the center. There are cords attached to it, and it keeps flickering like its powering up."

March thought for a moment. "I think I know the spell works. It's a combination of ice and dark Dragon Fire."

"The thing Lia wanted in the first place! We're smart not to have figured that out earlier." Valen said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"But is there a way to stop it?"

"The only way I know of is to use two parts of an equal power source; light to cancel out the spell, and darkness to keep the Dragon Fire from, you know, _killing_ you."

"They can figure it out," Alec said, sounding annoyed. "We've got to get through the doors."

"But –"

"He's right March," Valen said. "You guys go and try to break through it."

He sighed irritably. _Is everyone but me in love with that girl? _"Alright. You be careful."

"You too." Once the line dropped off, March turned to Alec. "We need a plan."

Alec revved his engine. "I have a bike. Bike through a glass wall equals giant hole. That's my plan."

He sped off before March could say anything else.

* * *

><p>"What the hell did you do that for?" Tori asked as Valen took his earpiece out and set it on the ground.<p>

"Because I have a plan."

"You? What do you know about magic? You're just upset about Alec."

Valen circled the orb of energy, focusing far too much on it for it to be natural. "It doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't make sense _you're _in love with her when she doesn't love you back! And don't give me the magic excuse – this was an issue long before Dad came back."

"Then why is Alec in love with her when he'd known her for two days?"

"How the hell should I know? But if we just stand around and point fingers at every guy Alison's ever dated, she'll be dead before we're halfway through. What we need to focus on," she gestured to the globe. "Is that. And why you disconnected the call when March could've walked us through on taking it down!"

"He _did_ tell us," Valen said. "We need one dark and one light part of a single power source."

Tori thought for a second. "Mom and Dad."

"Equal parts of the Dragon Fire; light and dark."

She yanked his arm. "Come on," she insisted, her voice urgent. "We have to get to the roof. If we can distract Icy long enough for them to get down here –"

Valen stubbornly stayed put. "That's not necessary."

"The hell it isn't! We _need_ Mom and Dad!"

"We _are_ Mom and Dad!"

The tug on his hand abruptly stopped. Valen was silent, watching the idea slowly process in his sister's head. Often she seemed to be the more optimistic and creative of the two, so it surprised him she hadn't gotten it at first.

Looking back on it now, Valen wasn't exactly sure who reached out towards the energy source first. All he knew was that the fireball he produced in his hand was blazing red, while the one Tori had was a shocking blue color. He glanced at her, and she just shrugged. "I suppose I'm a bit more connected to my dark side than I thought I was."

He avoided making a smart remark. "On, three, ok? One…two…"

They both let the balls of energy go, sending them straight into Icy's power source.

* * *

><p>At the exact moment the Dragon Fire energy connected with Icy's spell, Tecna was sitting in front of a computer in the ODHA, typing furiously while trying to keep track of the maps on the screen, depicting the dark energy levels in downtown Magix. The usually blank map was now swimming red, tracking the Shadow Monsters as they moved through the city.<p>

"Breaking two hundred words a minute won't solve this," Timmy spoke up from behind her.

If the room wasn't crawling with additional security, also trying to track the situation in Magix, Tecna would've likely throw a keyboard. Instead, she took a deep breath. "I know. I'm just worried."

"Bloom knows what she's doing - this isn't her first time facing Icy head on."

"It's not her I'm worried about."

Timmy chuckled. He'd grown more relaxed as the years went on, and sometimes Tecna wondered if the reason he'd been so uptigtheir his teenage years was because of all the insanity she'd dragged him into while they were in school. She'd asked about it once, a few years after Bloom had left, but he'd laughed her off. "Ah, so it's not Bloom you're worried about. It's _him _and Bloom. Together."

Saying Baltor's name with so many guards around would be a death warrant. "It's just...he worked with Icy before. He _knew_ her. He cares about Bloom; that much was obvious when I saw him, but..."

"You think he cares about Icy more?"

"Not at all. I just think she learned manipulation from the best. And that if she gets him to agree with her on one thing -"

"Ma'am? I think you should take a look at this."

Tecna turned to look at the map the guard was gesturing to - the one monitoring the dark energy levels in Magix, terrified of what she might see.

The map was clear.

"The Shadow Monsters are gone!"

"Icy must be out of power!"

"She's gone!"

A round of cheers went through the room. Tecna sat back in the chair, relaxing for the first time in days. She felt Timmy reach over and squeeze her hand, and she smiled faintly.

"Well what do you know..."

* * *

><p>At the exact moment the Dragon Fire energy connected with Icy's spell, Ali was slipping in and out of consiousness. With no magic, and who knew how many Shadow Monsters attacking her, the pain was almost unbearable. Fighting them off had become an impossible task. Her thoughts were becoming hazy. She just wanted to sleep. To sleep and forget all of this. To wake up in her own bed, with Melissa yelling that shed come home for the weekend and wanted to go to the local cafe for lunch, with her brothr jumping up and down on the bed and laughing to get her to wake up, with no big rsponsibility...<p>

She was slipping ou of consiousness again, but something in the back of her head seemed to be warning her that if she passed out now, she wouldn't wake up - or at least, no as herself. But with all the pain, the feeling of little needles sinking into her skin (were those _teeth_?), she couldnt help but _want_ that kind of sanctuary; no more pain, no more guilty consience, no more stringing Valen and Jason along...

And then, abrubtly, the pressure on her body stopped. There was a chorus of wails and undfinable noises, and then...silence.

Carefully, she opened her right eye, blinking away the fluid that was caught in her eyelashes (she didn't know what it _was_, exactly, but it was dark and smelled like metal). She could see all the way to the other side of the conservatory. In her view, Alison appeared to be the only person in the room.

Relief flooded through her, and she slumped down on the grass, her vision already darkening again. And just before her eyes shut, she heard an engine revving, and a window near her exploded.

* * *

><p>At the exact moment the Dragon Fire energy connected with Icy's spell, Icy herself was holding Bloom over the edge of Magix Tower, watching in great delight as the color drained from Baltor's face. "Come on now," she called to him, feeling more power than she ever thought possible. "Where's that fight you kept telling me about?"<p>

Baltor clenched his jaw, no doubt rattling off a number of colorful swear words in his head. Bloom's eyes were wide, but she remained silent. "Let her go, Icy."

"Why? After all she's done to you - to us? You should be _begging_ me to throw her off this building. To let her die; slowly and painfully."

"Icy -"

"If it weren't for her, you would be ruling the magic dimension!"

"No," he said, and Icy raised an eyebrow. "If it weren't for Bloom, _you_ would be ruling the magic dimension. _I_ would still be in a frozen block of ice on a barren planet. It's because of Bloom I'm here, and with so much more than I could have possibly imagined. And I will not let it go for your sake, Icy."

She looked a bit uneasy, like she had been expected an immediate surrender. She recovered quickly, but not quickly enough to be unnoticed. "Think of what you could have," she finally said. "The entire dimension - under _your_ control. Everything you've ever wanted. And all you have to do is let me end what you asked me to start."

"But it would still be you. I admit that a part of me still wants that kind of control over so many people. I do want revenge, I _want_ to make them reget what they've done," his gaze fell to Bloom. "But not like this."

Slowly, Icy's gaze narrowed, and Baltor knew he'd lost his chance at reasoning with her, even if those chances had been slim. "Well, I'm afraid to inform you that _this_ was the only way your revenge would've been possible. And that door just shut. However," a cold smirk spread across her face. "I'm not a heartless woman. I'll at least let you die with the whore."

Baltor clenched his fists as Icy raised her other hand, no doubt ready to deliver a blow that would knock him right off the roof. He did a mental calculation in his head; if he dodged to the left, the intensity of the attack would provide a few seconds of cover...

But as soon as sparks of blue magic started glowing in her hand, it dissapated into nothing.

Baltor cautiously glanced at Icy, wondering what kind of trick she was pulling. But the witch looked equally shocked, even angry. "That's not possible. You couldn't have undone my power supply; your the only one here. Unless..." She didn't finish, but Baltor already knew what all three of them were thinking.

_Valentine and Victoria._

Icy inhaled sharply. In her eyes, Baltor could see she wanted nothing more than to strangle her. "Like father like son, I suppose."

"I suppose." Two fireballs appeared in his hands. "Ready to give up Icy?"

To his horror, a sickly sweet smile crossed her face. "On the contrary. If my power is gone, that means all my spells are currently failing. Though of course, if I stop them myself, I could managae to save a little strenght."

She put her other hand down, and the ice that kept Bloom floating in the air melted away.

This time Baltor did swear as he dove forward, just grasping her hand before it was out of reach. As he slid across the stucco, he could feel it ripping through his shirt and scratching his skin. He reached his other hand out to take Bloom's, but a blue stiletto heel came down on his wrist, pinning it to the ground. Baltor literally _growled_ as he lifted his gaze to meet Icy's. That smile was still on her face. "I have a proposition."

"He's not interested!" Bloom snapped. Considering she was dangling from a roof with no Enchantix, she looked surprisingly pissed off.

Baltor bit his tongue. "What kind of proposition?"

"It's simple really; let my sisters and I go, and Bloom doesn't fall to her death."

"I don't know where your sisters are."

Icy stomped his heel further into the ground, causing him to hiss out in pain. "I don't have a lot of patience right now, Baltor. And a broken wrist will do you no good."

He kept his facial composure, but the strain on his arm was already starting. "If I do -"

"Baltor no!"

"If I do," he ignored Bloom, "You leave us in peace?"

"You have my word."

From behind them, a voice chuckled. "How nice - now what can I _rely_ on?"

A blast of green energy came from what seemed like nowhere, and knocked Icy off her feet. She teetered on the edge of the rooftop, and if Baltor wanted he could use his now free hand to grab her ankle and push her back on the roof.

But he reached down and grabbed Bloom's other hand as Icy toppled over the edge. She tried to grab a hold of Bloom, but she was a hair out of reach. She was screaming, but as it became obvious there wasn't a way out, she shut her mouth. Baltor watched her until she was a few stories above the ground, then turned away. Besides pulling Bloom back onto the roof, he couldn't bear to see her end. The sickening thud was enough to confirm what he knew; Icy was dead.

"Roxy; what are you doing here?" Bloom asked, her gaze falling to her pink-haired friend. She tapped her fingers against the roof, grateful to be on solid ground again. Baltor wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned into his chest.

The other woman leaned over the rooftop, her eyebrows scrunching when she saw whatever was left of Icy. "Hey, I got bored; couldn't let you and the kids have all the fun. Speaking of which...did _they_ stop Icy?"

"Partially. I think that's somewhat owed to them, and somewhat owed to you."

A faint smile crossed her face. "Probably the only thing I've done with my powers."

"Hey, no matter what you've done, I'd count that pretty high up there." Bloom reached out and squeezed her hand. "Thank you, Roxy."

She shook her head. "If I should be thanking anyone, it's you and your family. I heard what Icy said." Her gaze turned to Baltor. "Offering you power. She had such a strong hold on the city...I mean, not to sound out of the loop or anything, but isn't that what you always wanted?"

"It was." he glanced up as the clouds started clearing, showing the night sky lit with starts of faraway planets and places he didn't even know. "I'm going to regret that."

Bloom laughed and hit his shoulder. "I'll make it worth your while."

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

"No more kids, please," Roxy smirked, turning and heading towards the stairs that would lead to the bottom of the tower. "Tori and Valen are obviously powerful enough. Knowing you two, you might create a child capable of controlling both light and dark energy."

They both laughed as she disappeared through the door. "We should follow her." Baltor said

Bloom nodded. "We should."

Before she moved to get up, Baltor leaned over and lightly kissed the corner of her mouth. "I love you."

She smiled and kissed him back. "I love you too."

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Alright folks, a few little updates to go through.<strong>**

****First off: like I said above, High Hopes will have an epilogue. That's got a release date set for Tuesday, which isn't too long of a wait, and should make the story completion a little over a year since I started this.****

****I could spend paragraphs telling everyone how greatful I am that they've stuck with me through this story - whether you started reading in chapter 1 or just started reading this morning. Either way, thank you. With over 7.000 hits, High Hopes is definitely one of my most popular stories.****

****('Like, omg ember! Don't you know that today is supposed to be a fan fiction block day? HOW could you update?'. ...Um, because like most other people here, I went through and fixed the problems with my stories, so the block isn't really necessary. If we need to blame someone, blame E.L. James for drawing these issues to the moderators attention.)****

**Lastly, I have some exciting news; Leap of Faith, the story I co-wrote with Authoress-In-Training, is being translated into Russian by Nafochka on his blog. We're really excited that people who don't have English as a first language will be able to enjoy the story in their own language. If your interested, please PM either me or Authoress, and we'll be happy to give you the link!**

**There will probably be another note on Tuesday (probably more gushing - aren't you excited?), so I'll leave you until then. Remember that button below loves to hear what you think! We're at 101; can we see 110? (another challenge, I know - aren't I terrible?)**

**Happy summer everyone!**

**ember**


	15. Endlessly

In some ways, things returned to normal.

In other ways, they didn't.

Since Baltor had been partially responsible for shutting the Trix down and saving the universe, the Magix Council (with a bit of reluctance) dropped the previous charges to weigh things out. They did warn him extensively however, that if he ever headed back on the wrong path, they'd seal him in the Omega Dimension before he could blink. Tori had sat in the stands of the courtroom as this happened, watching her father nod in seriousness, but when he turned to look at her that familiar smirk flashed across his face, and she knew it was a show.

Bloom was formally asked to return and take her place as the Queen of Sparx. Apparently after saving the world again, the Magix Council thought it would be nice to have her around. Tori's mother; her smart, cheeky, quick on her feet mother, told the court she would gladly return, on one condition. Baltor would take the throne with her as the King of Sparx.

Tori's grandparents had been less than thrilled with that idea. The twins had heard their mother arguing with them for a long time behind closed doors before Baltor caught them and drew them away. Later Bloom had come back, looking steamed, and told them they were leaving Sparx. Tori hadn't even gotten the chance to meet them, but based on the yelling, she was fairly certain she wouldn't have gotten along well with Oritel and Miriam, anyway.

Since ruling a planet was out, Bloom decided it was best to go back to Earth. At first it was weird to have a fourth presence in their house (and a presence that knew very little about Earth culture), but in time it was odd to imagine life without him. During the middle of July, Tori and Valen stayed with Roxy and Andy for a few days while their parents went off to God-only-knew-where for some much needed alone time fifteen years in the making. They didn't know what exactly happened during those few days, only that Bloom and Baltor came back smiling. And with a marriage certificate.

Summer ended, and despite being offered full scholarships to Alfea and Red Fountain, Tori and Valen decided to stay on Earth. Their parents helped with magic training, and slowly but surely both Tori and Valen saw results. Bloom continued to paint, and Baltor did less…legal things, to find some extra money. Life was good.

And then Jason Albright decided to shock them even more.

* * *

><p>"I really can't believe they asked us back," Tori said absently as she adjusted the microphone on her ear.<p>

Jason laughed. "Me either. After the last incident, I thought it'd be a miracle if we could even get back on Disney property, let alone _play_. But apparently we were so good, they wanted to give us another chance."

"I think it'd debatable since they wanted us to play the opening of _Cars' Land_. I look ridiculous." Valen said, glancing at his white wash jeans and black T-shirt, the British flag on the chest.

"Stop it. It was really nice of them to give us a second chance."

Valen just shook his head. "Poor bastards. They'll never get rid of us now."

"Isn't that the truth." Jason smiled, looking around the backstage area. "Hey has anyone seen…"

"Are you referring to me, Jason?"

Tori smirked and grabbed the drumsticks on the table, throwing them expertly in the direction of the voice. "I was wondering when you'd get out here, Bally."

Ali stuck out her tongue. Her blonde hair was in a side ponytail, which helped balance out the one-sleeved purple shirt she had on. "It is _not_ easy to get these jeans on, I'll have you know."

"Obviously," Valen said, eying the dark jeans tucked into cowboy boots. "Just put on a cowboy hat and you can move to Nebraska."

"Very funny. Toss me a water Tori."

She shook her head. "You know the rules. Let's see how your walking looks."

Ali looked a bit upset, but after a moment took a deep breath and, slowly, walked to the table. Her steps were controlled but confident, and Tori heard the soft sound of plastic and gears shifting. "Your walking looks a lot better. I couldn't tell it's a prosthetic leg if I didn't know."

"Yeah, I just walk slower than a turtle." She chuckled. "It's getting better, though. Jeans and long skirts will officially be my new best friends."

"It sucks when your team loses trying to enslave the free world, doesn't it?" Valen smirked.

Jason shook his head. "I'm still extremely fuzzy on that whole thing. I know you've tried to explain it to me a dozen times, but…"

Tori smiled. "We should go to Magix this weekend. Maybe sights can help you more than words."

"What about the barrier?"

"Oh please," Valen smirked. "I think the Council can make an exception for us."

"…I'll pretend I know what that means."

They all burst out laughing, causing one of the workers to stare at them strangely. Ali waved it off. "Let's save those taunts for another time, eh?"

"Did someone bite off more than they could chew?"

Ali rolled her eyes and Tori and Valen chuckled as a familiar blond boy stepped up from behind her and gave her a hug. "Don't give me that face," Alec insisted with a smirk. "You so missed me. She missed me right?"

"I really didn't, you know."

"Bull. You had to miss me. You'd miss me, right March?"

The back-haired boy smiled. "Or throw a party," he leaned down and kissed Tori. "I'm looking forward to hearing you guys. I bet you'll be great."

She swatted his shoulder playfully. "I could be the worst singer in the world, and you'd still say that."

"Well thank goodness you're not then, or this relationship would get awkward fast."

"Hey lover boy," Valen said, though his tone was humorous, "You need a pass to be back here."

"Aww, but it's so crowded out there. And if I turn my back for five seconds Alec will probably be molesting Alison."

He was rewarded with a drumstick hitting the side of his head.

"Come on. We're obviously your number one fans. Just wait - Alec and I will jump up onto the stage and start singing a Nicki Manage song with you."

"Nicki _Minaj._"

"Who cares? She raps and has pink hair; good enough for me."

Valen rolled his eyes. "Outside. Now. Both of you. We can go on some rides after the set."

"No Tower or Terror, please." Tori said. "I've had enough of that ride to last a lifetime."

"Oh please," Ali insisted. "The only way to get over it is to go on it again."

"Says the girl who tried to kill me."

"Well _I'll_ go," Alec said. "It looks like wicked fun."

March leaned over to whisper to Alison. "If you let him go on the ride, I'll pay you."

They all laughed. "I'll consider it. _If_ you get out."

"Fine, fine. Good luck guys."

Alec smirked and blew a kiss to Alison. "Break an arm, darling. You don't have a leg to spare, anymore." With that, he sauntered out the door to the main area of the park, but not before holding the door open for Bloom and Baltor.

It'd taken Valen a while to admit it, but he'd never seen his mother happier in her whole life. Something about her was just glowing, as though the weight of the world was off her shoulders; no more secrets, no more hiding magic, no more running from old enemies. It was practically a dream come true.

Plus, Bloom was still keen on catching all the details. "You're blushing." She said to Ali, who quickly turned away and went to retrieve the drumstick she threw at March. "Ah, so you like Alec after all."

"Of course not!"

"I thought he was gay." Baltor muttered, grabbing a water from the crafts table.

Valen and Jason laughed, and Bloom hit him playfully of the shoulder. "That's _not_ appropriate."

"The kid's not here. And neither is Sky to shoot me."

Tori raised an eyebrow. "What _did_ happen with Sky? I haven't seen him since that night on Eraklyon."

Bloom smiled. "When the charges against your father were dropped...well, let's just say he didn't take it too well. Both Diaspro and I tried to talk to him, but he's far too immersed in ruling Eraklyon to even respond to me. Though I believe Diaspro's had more luck with him than I have; she's moving back into the palace to help get through some paperwork of Isis switching to Eraklyon's currency."

"So they're getting back together. And it doesn't bother you?"

She shrugged. "Honestly, it's the first time Diaspro and I spoke civilly to each other since my second year at Alfea. I forgot she's actually a very nice person. Besides, she's been at Sky's side the entire time I was raising you; she obviously cares about him. It's time they finally give that relationship a try."

A smirk crossed Ali's face. "So in other words - you're not jealous because you have a man of your own?"

The kids laughed, and it was Bloom's turn to blush. Baltor chuckled and kissed her cheek. "I can't argue there."

A woman wearing a headset and holding a clipboard appeared from behind a curtain. "You four, the nameless band - you're on in three minutes. We need the drummer and bassist on stage right now, and you two to make the entrance when the drums start for Life Is A Highway."

Bloom blinked as she walked off, taking Jason and Alison with her. They both turned and shrugged at them before disappearing on stage to a round of applause.

"Why on Earth..."

"I think they liked them together on stage. They had a lot of chemistry last time. Plus Jason is the founding member - they'll want a quick interview."

"So have you guys figured out a name for the band yet?" Baltor asked.

"Nope. Maybe we'll just be a nameless band forever. And I can live with that."

"So can I." Valen added, glancing out to the stage. "We should get ready."

"Wait." Tori and Valen glanced back at their mother, who looked way too cheerful to be giving her usual pep speech. "I wanted to tell you guys something before you went out there. All three of you."

Baltor raised an eyebrow. "What do you have up your sleeve, darling?"

"It's nothing bad..."

"That's what you said when you tried to do abstract sculpting in the garage. The car was covered in clay dust and you made us wash it in the street."

She laughed. "Oh, relax. Do you remember when I went to Dr. Calvin a few weeks ago?"

"When you got food poisoning from the sushi at the supermarket?" Tori asked. "Yeah - I told you it was a bad idea - you've gotten sick before eating it. Your sushi craving would've passed."

"Tori, if you'd let me finish, you would know that Calvin ran some tests, and I didn't have food poising."

Valen had an odd look on his face, like he knew where the conversation was leading. Tori wished he'd spit it out - she was clueless as to what her mother was eluding to. "So what did the doctor say?"

"Well…what do you three think about the name Madison?"

Tori's eyes slowly widened. "Mom." She said, her voice serious. "Are you seriously suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

Bloom grinned in response.

The pieces slowly clicked in Baltor's head, and Tori knew he understood when the water bottle fell out of his hands. "Bloom. Are you really…"

Valen just shook his head, a smile on his face. "You can't be serious."

The redhead woman just shrugged. "The doctors are thinking I'm due sometime in July."

"Mom!" Tori threw her arms around her mother's neck and gave her a hug. She was elated. "I can't believe it! No fricking way!"

"Great," Valen smirked, "as if you poisoning Christopher's mind wasn't enough. Now you have a real sibling to do it to."

"How far along are you?"

"About two months."

Valen was going to make a snide comment about how pale Baltor looked, but the clipboard lady appeared again, ushering them onto the main stage.

"We'll talk later." Bloom kissed Tori's cheek, then Valen's. "You guys go have fun."

"You could've told us after! We'll be too preoccupied to focus on our biggest show!"

"Oh please. When you get out there you'll barely remember I exist, never mind that I'm pregnant. Now go."

"Fine, fine. But Mom, take my advice - go get Dad something with alcohol. I think he needs it."

With great reluctance, they both went out onto the stage, blinking as they adjusted to the bright stage lights. Valen glanced back toward the wings, watching as Baltor went over to Bloom and took her hands in his. He asked her something, and she nodded, looking a little nervous. The next moment, he picked her up and spun her around in his arms. They were both laughing.

"Hey guys! I'm Tori and this is Valen. Thank you so much for inviting us to the opening of Cars Land!"

Valen finally took his eyes off his parents (partially because they were now kissing) and focused on the crowd for the first time. He saw media, cameras, families, and a few of the Disney celebrities mingled in, watching him with curious eyes. He shook his head. "This is actually our _second_ time playing at Disney. We were part of the Electronica show last year - did anyone see it?"

A few cheers went up.

"Awesome; well welcome back. Do you think we can show these newbies how to party?"

More cheers.

"Sweet! Now we're going to sing some songs here, and..." he glanced at the wings again. "I'd like to dedicate this first one to my Dad. We've been getting closer over the last few months, and I'd be lying if I said I'd met a braver man. So Dad...I know we've had some ups and downs, but I'm glad you're here now."

Tori bit back a grin, and Alison nodded, obviously approving. He was far too nervous to look back at his parents, but hoped they'd heard him. Once the applause died down, Valen tapped the side of the microphone three times - his good luck ritual. "Now let's party!"

* * *

><p><strong>Well...what else is there to say?<strong>

**If anyone's curious about the cover for this story, yes that's Rose. The picture comes from the cover of my favorite album - Whisper War, from The Cab. Also - if you didn't know, every chapter title, as well as the title of the story itself, comes from a song The Cab wrote. Just a fun fact, if you're bored and need some new music, look no further.**

**If I took the time to individually thank every single person who reviewed, I'd have enough for a whole other chapter. And I don't want to start naming names for fear I'll leave people out (I'm extremely forgetful, in case you haven't noticed). So thank you for sticking with me, and believing in my insanity.**

**So you may be asking yourself - ember, what's your next big plan? And to be honest...I don't know. I kind of want to take a step away and start working on my own personal stuff. I'm kind of hoping to turn Damn Rough Night into an original story, so keep your fingers crossed DRN fans! I'll also be going through some _major_ overhaul on my first two stories (Witch and the Winx Club, A More Than Magic Halloween), and the first half of Unexpected. And depending on how school goes, maybe you'll see a new project from me launching in October! And possibly some stuff for fans of Inception and Step Up...**

**Again, thank you _so_ much for all your kind words and criticism in your reviews. They really mean a lot, and I've come to really look forward to some of them. Leave any final words in a review - I'm responding to all of them in celebration of the last chapter! **

**Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the story.**

**ember**


End file.
